Indians planning to study abroad may have to register with the government

• India’s External Affairs Ministry has proposed in its draft Emigration Bill 2019 new rules for mandatory registration.
  
• The bill proposes Indian nationals planning overseas education or employment will have to register with the government before moving out.
  
• Last year, the government made a similar announcement to register with the External Affairs Ministry before taking up a job overseas.

Indian nationals planning to go abroad for studies or work may now need to register with the government before departing to other countries.

The Indian government has proposed a mandatory registration process as part of the draft emigration bill aimed at strengthening its ‘Emigration management framework.’ The process, which is likely to be digital, is reportedly aimed at providing assistance to the citizens abroad in times of need.

India currently has a mandatory registration requirement for Indian nationals seeking to work in 18 countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan.

The draft bill also proposes to set up an ‘Emigration Management Authority (EMA)’ for overall welfare and protection of its emigrants. It will also set up two bureaus — Bureau of Emigration Policy and the Bureau of Administration for handling emigration related issues and daily operations. It will also include migrant resource centres, legal assistance and help desks to facilitate the Indian workforce and students in other countries.

Last year, the Indian government made a similar announcement for Indian citizens to register with the External Affairs Ministry before taking up a job overseas. The rule was enforced on 1 January 2019 and is applicable for 18 countries — Thailand, UAE, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. However, this also includes the citizens with “non-emigration Check Required (non-ECR)” status.

According to the Reserve Bank of India, the number of Indian students preferring education abroad has gone up by 44% with most students preferring US, UK, Australia and Canada for higher education in 2019.

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