Odisha issues guidelines on immigration matters

The Odisha government on Tuesday issued guidelines to address immigration issues pertaining to the state's residents employed in the Middle East and South-East Asian countries.

The guidelines provide for immediate relief to workers facing difficult situation, including exploitation by employers, economic hardships, and injury/death due to accidents and needing rescue, repatriation and post-repatriation issues relating to wages and compensation.

According to the guidelines, the Labour and Employee State Insurance Department will create database of recruiting agencies engaged in sponsoring persons for jobs in and outside the country.

The department may form a committee headed by Collector concerned for regular monitoring of activities of licensed agencies and keep a tab on unlicensed agencies, if any, in the district, said an official order.

The department would engage with the Ministry of External Affairs to obtain data on licensed recruitment agencies for overseas employment and inform all concerned so that their activities can be monitored.

The Special Director General (Crime) will issue a comprehensive circular to all Superintendents of Police and Deputy Commissioners of Police, with copies to Labour and ESI Departments, about the legal regime to regulate contracts under the Immigration Act as well as other laws.

--IANS

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