Context:

  • Recently both the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments have started the process of recruiting about 10,000 workers to go to Israel with the help of the National Skill Development Corporation, primarily for construction activities.
  • Screenings have already started in various locations in Haryana and U.P. with the help of the respective State governments.

Why there is opposition for the move?

  • Trade unions have opposed this move mentioning the Emigration Rules under the Emigration Act.
  • The trade unions are also planning to challenge this employment drive legally.
  • The trade unions said that such a move is against the Indian ethos of bringing back citizens from conflict areas.

What do the Rules prescribe?

  • According to the Ministry of External Affairs workers going to conflict zones or places without sufficient labour protections are required to register with the Ministry’s ‘e­migrate’
  • Passports issued under the ECR (Emigration Check Required) scheme include workers travelling to 18 countries, covering Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, the UAE, and Yemen.
  • However it is important to note that Israel is not on this list and the ‘e­migrate’ system will not be used for those going to Israel despite continuing violence due to Israel’s bombing of Gaza.
  • The Rules stand that no recruiting agent shall collect from the worker service charges more than a maximum of ₹30,000.
  • Also the service charges shall include costs of domestic travel or lodging and boarding for conducting of interviews by the recruiting agent.
  • The workers will have to pay a fee to the NSDC, pay for their flight tickets, etc, which shall add up to almost ₹1 lakh.
  • The trade unions point out that paid recruitment in a war zone facilitated by governments violates provisions of the Emigration Act.
  • However the Government responded that India is satisfied with Israel’s labour standards saying Labour laws in Israel are very strict, robust.
  • It also said that Israel is an OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) country, therefore labour laws are such that it provides for protection of migrant rights, labour rights.

What are the international practices regarding the migration?

  • The international practices for protection of migrant workers are governed by two conventions of the International Labour Organisation.
  • They are the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 97) and Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (No. 143).
  • While India has not ratified both conventions, Israel had ratified the Migration for Employment Convention (Revised) 1949 convention in 1953.