Why in the News?

Maharashtra’s 997 youth, earning Rs 1.37 lakh in Israel, engage in circular migration, boosting skills through labour mobility agreements.

What is the “triple win” scenario associated with circular migration?

• Migrants win by gaining high-paying jobs, improving their skills, and getting social security benefits while working abroad.
• The home country (like India) wins because when the workers return, they bring back new skills and experience that help improve local industries.
• The host country (like Israel or Germany) wins because they get the skilled workers they need to fill labour shortages without facing long-term migration issues.

How does circular migration contribute to skill development and poverty alleviation for Indian migrants?

• Skill Development: Indian workers gain exposure to international work environments, cutting-edge technology, and management protocols, which enhance their skills and employability.
• Poverty Alleviation: Higher wages in developed countries allow migrants to send remittances back home, improving the economic conditions of their families and contributing to poverty alleviation.

In what way does circular migration mitigate the issue of brain drain?

• Temporary Nature: Since workers return after a set period (e.g., five years), they bring back their enhanced skills and experience, preventing a permanent loss of talent to foreign nations.
• Knowledge Transfer: Returning workers contribute to domestic industries by applying the new skills and technologies they learned abroad, benefiting the home economy.

What are the policy implications for implementing circular migration effectively? (Way forward) 

• Skill Matching and Training: Governments must ensure exact skill matching between migrant workers and the requirements of the destination countries, providing refresher courses and training as needed.
• Government-to-Government Agreements: Strong bilateral agreements are essential to safeguard the rights of workers, ensure fair wages, and provide social security in the destination countries.
• Streamlined Procedures: Policies should simplify legal compliances, fast-track passport issuance, and remove barriers like language skills through training in languages such as Japanese, German, or French.

Conclusion: Circular migration offers a “triple win” by benefiting migrants, home countries, and host nations. It enhances skills, boosts incomes, mitigates brain drain, and fosters knowledge transfer, provided there is proper policy support, skill matching, and streamlined processes.

Mains PYQ:

Q Major cities of India are becoming vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss. (UPSC IAS/2016)

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