subject: Reverse Brain Drain From Uae To India [print this page] According to the latest statistics from the Indian Consulate in the United Arab Emirates, there has been a decrease in the number of issued visas for Indian workers to the economically stricken Gulf Coast country. This was attributed to the higher salaries in India compared to salaries receivable living in the UAE.
It is also projected that there would be a steady decline in blue collar workers coming to the country as the Indian economic growth continues to absorb the available workforce in India. The numbers registered were the lowest ever, with passport services finding a two percent drop.
Another program that has been pointed to lower the demand for visas to other countries is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, where rural workers would be provided one hundred days of work a year. This program employs many villagers to work within India. In the past, these unskilled and semi-skilled workers have become the greatest number of workers seeking work overseas, finding work in construction, domestics and other service industries.
The UAE though has not been able to recover from the doldrums brought about by the recent global recession. Now, there are nearly two million Indians in the country but their numbers are falling as many are opting to come home to India for better opportunities. The current wages in the UAE are between AED600 and AED1,200 per month while current salaries in India are at par with these levels. Because of the steady economic growth for India, many choose to either remain or return to the country to prevent further hardship and danger in working overseas.
The trend will most likely continue for UAE as the country remains strapped for cash because of the oversupply of constructions and the halt of many projects in the country. This is seen with the increased abandonment by Indian nationals of properties in Dubai and other UAE cities. The UAE government has reported many cars abandoned in public car parks and airports because the owner does not have the means to pay for the debt. Often, the Indian worker flies home for new work leaving behind debts to pay for electronics and car purchases made. While this is a growing issue, this is merely a reflection of the greater economic issues in the UAE that Indian workers had sought to resolve from India. Now, faced with the same dilemma, many opt to return home, risking being blacklisted and arrest because of the pending economic dislocation being felt throughout the country.
