The number of Indians residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has surpassed nine million, as stated by Kirti Vardhan Singh, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, in the Indian Parliament yesterday.
Singh detailed that Indians are engaged in a diverse array of professions, ranging from highly skilled positions in fintech, healthcare, information technology, engineering, and banking, to manual labor roles such as cleaners, maids, electricians, and plumbers.
Among the GCC nations, the UAE is the top choice for Indian job aspirants, hosting 3.55 million Indians, followed by Saudi Arabia with 2.64 million. Kuwait accommodates one million Indians, while the remaining GCC countries collectively house Indian workers in the six-figure range.
India has granted emigration clearance to 180,000 of its citizens up to June 30 this year for employment in countries that mandate such clearance under Indian regulations. This figure is comparable to the 398,000 clearances issued for the entirety of 2023. Emigration clearance is required for Indians with educational qualifications below the 10th grade, and for certain professions like nursing seeking employment overseas.
