MEA Working on New Law for Indians Working Abroad

What happened?

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is “seriously considering” enacting a new law, tentatively titled the Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2024, which would replace the “outdated provisions” of the Emigration Act of 1983. This was stated in the fourth report of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, presented to the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) on February 3, 2025. The move comes amid controversy surrounding the deportation of over a hundred Indian migrants by the United States, who were returned to India on a C-17 US military aircraft, bound in chains and shackles, after landing in Amritsar yesterday.

Why it matters to India:

The proposed legislation aims to create a robust framework that will ensure safe, orderly, and regular migration for overseas employment. The draft of this bill is currently being consulted with relevant ministries. Emigration is a key area of focus, as the MEA reports that there are currently 15.85 million Indians living abroad, with around 15 million employed in various jobs—both skilled and unskilled. In recent years, the government has prioritised creating mobility agreements to simplify the migration process. India has already signed labour mobility pacts with five countries, including Taiwan. These agreements include nations like Israel, Malaysia, Japan, Portugal, and Mauritius.

Additionally, India has entered into memorandums of understanding on migration and mobility with several countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Austria, Italy, and Denmark. However, the current legal framework is still based on the Emigration Act of 1983, a law that has now been in place for over 40 years.