INDIAN state of Kerala is conducting training sessions to help aspiring nurses migrate legally amid increased immigration raids in the US and UK.
The sessions, organised by the state’s Department of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (Norka), teach participants how to identify legitimate overseas recruitment agencies and avoid fraudulent migration consultants, reported The Guardian.
On 5 February, as one such session took place in Kochi, a US aircraft landed in Amritsar with 104 undocumented Indian migrants in shackles.
Two more planes carrying 229 migrants arrived on 16 and 17 February. Reports also indicated an increase in immigration raids in the UK targeting Indian nationals.
India is a major source of nurses for the global healthcare sector, with approximately 640,000 Indian nurses working abroad.
While Gulf states employ most of them, countries such as the UK, US, Canada, and Australia are also popular destinations. The World Health Organization predicts a global nursing shortage of 4.5 million by 2030.
Norka has been conducting migration training for nearly two decades. Until two years ago, it trained around 1,000 candidates annually, but in 2024, the number rose to 2,250.
Though these sessions are open to all, they primarily focus on nurses due to the high demand for overseas employment in the sector.
The training informs participants about verifying recruitment agencies through India’s Ministry of External Affairs’ protector of emigrants (POE) and checking blacklisted companies on a government portal.
Nurses can also register with Norka for free or at a minimal cost and apply for jobs through Kerala’s state recruitment agencies, The Guardian reported.
Norka, established in 1996, has recently focused more on migration governance. It has agreements with countries including Germany, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Austria for nurse recruitment.
In 2021, it became the first Indian state agency to sign an agreement with Germany to deploy healthcare workers. More than 1,400 Kerala nurses have been recruited under this initiative.
Illegal recruitment remains a challenge. India’s Ministry of External Affairs lists over 3,000 unregistered agencies with grievances against them.
Kerala’s e-migrate platform has recorded complaints against 208 local agencies. In response, the state has formed a task force and coordinates with law enforcement to tackle fraud.
A parliamentary panel led by MP Shashi Tharoor recently recommended raising awareness about safe migration through media and local organisations.
A proposed overseas mobility bill is expected to address concerns and strengthen migration policies.
Other states, including Punjab, have announced plans to adopt Kerala’s migration governance model to combat illegal migration.
Italy and Denmark have also expressed interest in recruiting Indian nurses, with Italy planning to hire 65,000 nurses from Kerala.
Akhil Alex, a psychiatric nurse in Kerala, secured a job in Germany through Norka. He is currently learning German as part of the programme before receiving his work visa.
“Everything is provided by Norka or the recruiters, including study materials,” he told The Guardian.
Alex hopes for a better work-life balance and looks forward to attending Bundesliga matches in Germany.
