Migration Matters #38
#IMN2023Wrapped, Top Remittance Receiving Country, Project PRAYAS, Migration Agreement with Italy, New Migration Rules in UK & Australia, Displacement in Sudan, Indian Migrants in the Gulf
Dear Reader,
Happy New Year!
2023 was a special year for us. We celebrated our fifth anniversary in February, which marked a significant milestone for us. We are truly grateful for your continued support throughout this journey. We have accomplished some incredible wins last year and will always cherish the memories. You can read about it in our special #IMN2023Wrapped issue of Gotta Keep On Movin’ here, where we share five major themes from the world of migration that impacted us in 2023 and the three projects we are most excited about in 2024.
We are excited to bring you the first edition of Migration Matters in 2024. Expect nothing but the most relevant and insightful trends from the world of migration - the stories that matter, the events that made headlines and exciting resources you can check out. As always, don’t forget to check out our Good Finds section for some hidden gems!
If you like this curated migration roundup, please share it with your family and friends! You can also Tweet us at @NowMigration
Must Read
The World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief is Out; India Top Remittance Receiving Country
On December 18th, the World Bank published the 39th edition of its ‘Migration and Development Brief’. It reported that remittances to low and middle-income countries grew 3.8% to $669 billion in 2023. The United States and India have maintained their positions as the top remittance source and recipient, respectively. The brief primarily attributed the rising remittances to India to robust labour markets and decreased inflation in high-income nations, fuelling remittances from skilled Indians in the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore - representing 36% of total flows to India. Additionally, increased inflows from the GCC were also a factor. Globally, the brief portends reduced remittance growth in 2024 owing to expected softer economic activity, high inflation and weak job markets.
Australia Announces New Migration Rules
Australia has announced changes to its immigration rules, effective from December 2023. These changes will prioritise student visa applications from specific sectors and guardian visas. Aiming to regulate migration, reforms for students include raising English proficiency standards under IELTS. However, Indian graduates remain eligible for extended stays under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement. Additionally, Australia introduced the Skills Demand Visa instead of the Temporary Skill Visa, offering pathways to permanent residency for skilled workers. Overall, the new Migration Strategy initiates reforms to permanent migration, measures against exploitation, and simplification by removing redundant visas.
India
The Government of India, in collaboration with IOM, launched Project PRAYAS (Promoting Regular & Assisted Migration for Youth and Skilled Professionals) on December 21, 2023, in New Delhi to facilitate secure and organised migration for Indian workers and students. The initiative, supported by the International Organisation for Migration and the Indian Council of World Affairs, aims to improve coordination between state and central governments in matters related to international migration. It will achieve this through policy recommendations, enhancing awareness, strengthening governance for safe international migration, and addressing the needs of aspiring migrants and their mobility initiatives.
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to sign and ratify the Migration and Mobility Agreement with Italy. The Agreement would enhance people-to-people contacts, foster mobility of students, skilled workers, business people and young professionals and strengthen cooperation on issues related to irregular migration between the two sides. The Agreement grants an extension of residence for up to 12 months to Indian students in Italy to gather professional experience. Under the Flows Decree, the Italian side has offered incremental reserved quotas for both seasonal and non-seasonal workers from 2023-2025. The Agreement could also yield a pact on the employment of skilled workers in specific sectors between the two countries.
Gurgaon district administration is creating a charter of rights to protect the interests of domestic employees. The charter will specify minimum wages, working conditions, age caps, and other requirements for employers. It will also address the mistreatment of domestic staffers in highrises. RWAs will collect data on domestic employees and create a proper database. There is no exclusive law in India to protect domestic workers currently covered under the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act and the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act. In 2016, the Domestic Workers Welfare and Social Security Bill was tabled in Parliament but never enacted. But a handful of states, such as Maharashtra, have established welfare boards for domestic workers.
Global
EU Politicians Reach Asylum Deal: This month, EU negotiators finalised a migration deal to distribute asylum seekers' hosting costs, limit arrivals, and streamline deportations. The pact proposes faster screenings, potential detention for those deemed high risk or with likely failed claims, and mandatory refugee acceptance or funding for inland countries, among other things. Critics, including rights groups and MEPs, have voiced concerns in response to increased detention, weakened asylum rights, and the deepening of externalisation policies in Europe. A formal agreement on the plan's 10 points is pending till February 2024.
New Migration Rules in the UK: The UK government unveiled stricter immigration measures, effective from Spring 2024. Changes were made to cut immigration numbers by 300,000. People wanting to apply for a work visa will still have to use a point-based system but will now have to satisfy a higher minimum salary threshold of £38,700. Similar changes have been made to family visa rules, the minimum income level for which has been hiked to £29,000. International graduate students will also no longer be allowed to bring dependents (unless enrolled in a research programme). However, they can stay in the UK for two years after graduation under a graduate visa. Another significant change was abolishing the lower salary threshold system for occupations listed under the shortage occupation list. In addition, the government has also announced that it will reduce the number of occupations listed.
Thousands join Migrant Caravan in Mexico: A caravan of around 6,000 migrants, including families from Central America, Venezuela, and Cuba, has been heading towards the US through Mexico. Their journey comes ahead of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Mexico City to address surging immigration to the US. The president of Mexico had agreed to take in certain Latin American migrants deported by the US in May. Still, the deal is considered to have been ineffective as around 10,000 migrants were apprehended per day at the US southwest border in December alone. The President is expected to discuss these topics, among others, with the US delegation.
Rising Displacement in Sudan: Conflict in Sudan's Wad Madani has triggered mass displacement, with up to 300,000 fleeing amid clashes between armed forces, adding to Sudan's dire humanitarian crisis. IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix estimates half a million have been displaced in Aj Jazirah state since April of this year. The situation has pushed the total number of people displaced in Sudan to 7.1 million, with over 1.5 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Additionally, all humanitarian field missions in and from Aj Jazirah have been suspended, which has, in turn, compromised the delivery of humanitarian assistance to over 2,70,000 affected individuals in Wad Madani.
Good Finds
Rejimon Kuttapan’s ‘Undocumented: Stories of Indian Migrants in the Arab Gulf’ is a collection of stories of Indian workers migrating with hope to the Gulf. This collection spans Indian migration over 60 years and puts the Kafala system at the heart of the labour market in the Gulf. However, the book seeks to place the question of escaping life at home beyond the poverty paradigm. It brings in the premise of equality in labour and exploitation and the quest for a chance to understand life beyond survival.
A Film on the British Schindler: Released in the UK and Ireland on 1st January, One Life depicts the extraordinary true story of Nicholas Winton (also known as the British Schindler), portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. Set in wartime Europe, the film tells the story of the Kindertransport, highlighting Winton's heroic efforts to rescue 669 Czech Jewish children from the Nazis in the late 1930s. The narrative underscores his relentless determination to navigate bureaucratic hurdles and organise foster care to transport the children to safety in Britain. If you are based outside the UK, and this story interests you, you can find a brief introduction to the Kindertransport operation here and read about Nicholas Winton’s life in this biography on which the movie is based.
Thank you, we will see you again next month!
Best Wishes,
The IMN Team
Research and Drafting: Mihika Samant and Muskaan Goenka
Editorial Support: Pooja Bhatia
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