Kerala's Ernakulam offers classes on safe migration, how to spot fake agencies, amid rise in illegal immigration: Report

At a time when Indians migrating to the US and other foreign countries have come under the scanner owing to numerous illegally settled immigrants, a session on how to safely migrate to a country using genuine paperwork has gained momentum in Kerala's Ernakulam.

Organised by the local government, the programme was held on February 5, the same day when 104 immigrants living in the US were brought back to Punjab, as per a report in The Migration Story.

The session had students from the State Institute of Medical Education and Technology (SIMET) College of Nursing Palluruthy, most of whom were looking to migrate to a Western or a Middle Eastern country.

“I want to migrate in a truthful and trustworthy way,” one of the students named Devika told the publication.

Students were taught how to spot fake agencies as they learned that genuine ones will have an Overseas Recruitment License from India’s Ministry of External Affairs’ Protector of Emigrants (POE). Meanwhile, the ones that have been blacklisted could be found on the government-run portal www.e-migrate.gov.in.

While the Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA) has been providing sessions for around 20 years, of late, the demand for these classes has spiked owing to the changes in US citizenship rules for migrants and the rising number of illegal immigrants. Nursing students are showing the highest interest in the programme, given the high number of Indians who work in the said profession abroad. Around 6,40,000 Indian nurses work abroad, making India one among the top countries in sending nurses.

“NoRKA’s sessions serve as a crucial preparatory step for aspiring nurses aiming to work abroad," one of the trainers said.

The secretary of NoRKA, which was set up in 1996, said that earlier they worked only after getting complaints, “more on a reactive basis”, but now they are hoping to take proactive steps.

Deportation of illegal Indian immigrants who entered America through "donkey route" -- an illegal and risky pathway used by travel agents to send people abroad, has been making the headlines lately.

Along with this, reports of people stuck in foreign countries have also been coming to the fore. These people were promised jobs and high pay, but upon reaching there, they are being made to indulge in criminal activities.

Meanwhile, a bill seeking to streamline various services related to immigration and foreigners, including their entry, exit and stay in the country was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday with the opposition dubbing it to be violative of constitutional provisions.