UAE, Kuwait plan restrictions on countries reluctant to take back nationals

New Delhi, Apr 13: There appears to be trouble on the cards for the Indian workers as the UAE plans to impose strict restrictions on countries reluctant to take their nationals back owing to the coronavirus outbreak.

In Kuwait, illegal migrants and those whose visas have expired during the pandemic period have been asked to leave the country by April 30. There would be no penalty as amnesty has been granted till that date.

The Indian Embassy is in touch with the Kuwaiti authorities over the matter. The Indian expatriate community of 33 lakh is the largest ethnic community in the UAE. Kerala is the most represented, followed by Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The state-run WAM news agency citing sources said that the options being considered are imposing of strict future restrictions on the recruitment of workers from these countries and activating the quota system in recruitment options.

It also said that options also include pension of memoranda of understanding signed between the county and the concerned authorities in these countries. The official cited also said that all countries of foreign workers in the UAE should be responsible for their nationals wishing to return to their countries as part of the humanitarian initiative launched recently.