Question : Emigration Clearance to Nurses

(a) whether the new regulatory measures imposed by the Government to prevent malpractices in overseas placement have adversely affected the recruitment to the Gulf countries from India;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government;

(c) whether the Government has taken the matter with Gulf countries and finalised the modalities, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government noted the difficulties being faced by nurses by the decision to make emigration clearance mandatory; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
GENERAL V.K. SINGH (RETD.)

(a) & (b) The details of the emigration clearances granted for overseas employment in 18 ECR countries in the first six months of 2015 (January to June) were 4,62,067 as compared to 4,55,405 during the same period in 2014. However, the situation is being closely monitored by the Ministry.

(c) This does not arise as these are new regulatory measures imposed by the Government of India.
(d) & (e) The decision to require nurses to take emigration clearance before proceeding for employment abroad was taken in view of reports received regarding large scale malpractices in the recruitment of nurses. An order was accordingly issued on 12.03.2015 requiring nurses to take emigration clearance before going for overseas employment to the 18 ECR countries. In view of the difficulties faced by nurses who had completed their recruitment process prior to 12.03.2015, the date of applicability of this order was kept with effect from 30.04.2015 and it was later extended to 30.05.2015 on the request of the affected nurses.
The Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs has written to all the Chief Ministers concerned to set up State Government owned Recruitment Agencies, on the lines of the three State Government Recruitment Agencies i.e. NORKA and ODEPC of Kerala and OMCL of Tamil Nadu.