Question : DEMAND OF NURSES ABROAD

(a) whether there is huge demand for Indian house maids and home nurses overseas;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has taken any steps to improve their working conditions; and

(d) if so, the details thereof ?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS (SHRI VAYALAR RAVI)

(a) & (b): There is demand for Indian female domestic workers and home nurses abroad. While domestic workers are in demand, particularly in Kuwait, Sultanate of Oman, Yemen, Bahrain and Singapore, the demand for home nurses is mostly in the countries in Europe.

During the current year from January to November, 2009, the Indian mission at Kuwait has attested the demand for 11,844 Indian domestic female workers and for 71 home nurses in Kuwait.

The estimated number of female domestic workers in Oman is 36,000. There is demand for such workers in Singapore and Yemen also.

The recruitments of home nurses in the non-ECR countries, however,is not regulated under the Emigration Act, 1983.

(c) & (d): The policy of the Government is to facilitate orderly and legal emigration of Indian workers including female workers, discourage illegal/ irregular migration and ensure the protection and welfare of emigrants. In pursuit of this policy, the Government is implementing emigration process reforms and is pursuing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the management of migration.

As per the Emigration Rules, it is mandatory for all the work contracts for recruitment of manpower from India to be attested by the Indian mission concerned abroad.

Further, the Ministry, after its creation in 2004, made concerted efforts to enter into bilateral Memoranda of understanding (MoU) with the major receiving Countries for ensuring protection and welfare of our emigrants. Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed with United Arab of Emirates (UAE) in December, 2006, with Kuwait in April, 2007, with Oman in November 2008, with Malaysia in January 2009, and with Bahrain on 17th June 2009.

The Government has made it mandatory for the employment contract of every female worker emigrating on ECR passport to ECR country to be attested by the Indian Mission. The Government has also stipulated a minimum age of 30 years and a minimum wage of 300 USD for such workers. The employer directly hiring an Indian female domestic worker has to deposit a security of 2500 USD with the Indian mission. These policy measures have been taken to reinforce protection of women workers abroad.