Foreign jobs dry up for Indian workers

Tighter norms in western nations, slowdown in oilfuelled Gulf economies have hit Indians hard

Job opportunities abroad plummeted in 2016, recruitment and remittances data show, projecting an employment crisis brought on by upheaval in the oil economies of Gulf countries and rising protectionism in the West.

The year saw a 33% fall in Indians getting jobs in the six Gulf countries — the destination for 90% of Indians emigrating for blue-collar jobs.

It also saw the rise of political and economic conservatism, with nations such as the United States and Australia deciding to put up protectionist curbs in skilled sectors such as software.

“The crisis in Gulf is something that affects us in more ways than one. The workers here send most of their earnings back home,” said a diplomat from a Gulf country, pointing to an effect reflected in remittances to India.

The World Bank said on Friday that India saw an 8.9% drop in money sent back by its citizens from other countries in 2016, a sharp decline compared to the 1% dip in 2015. India saw $69.6 billion in remittance from 2014, which dipped to $68.9bn in 2015 before falling to $62.7bn last year.

The back-to-back decline is a first in three decades, the World Bank report said. “I lost two jobs in past two years in Saudi and then I headed home and waiting for dues to be settled,” said Satheesh Kurup from Kerala.

In 2016, 165,356 people found jobs in Saudi Arabia, almost half of the 306,642 people who got employment in 2015.

“With oil prices hitting below 40 USD per barrel this was bound to happen. But we doing our best to ensure anyone who lost his or her job is assisted”, the diplomat posted in a Gulf country said.

In addition to the problems in the Gulf, the rising anti-globalisation sentiment in the West is seen dealing a one-two punch to foreign job prospects.

Companies in US have been seen paring back plans to hire Indians through the H1-B visa scheme after the election of Donald Trump who rode on, among others, a promise to protect the employment opportunities for Americans.