Kerala to block nurses recruited by private agencies from May 1

The reports said that the private agents were recruiting nurses to several countries in the Middle East by taking huge commission.


Trivandrum — The government of Kerala has decided not to allow nurses recruited by private agencies to fly abroad from May 1.

A decision in this regard was taken by the Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Department in the wake of reports that several private agencies were recruiting nurses overlooking the ban imposed by the federal government on recruitment of nurses by private agencies from next month.

The reports said that the private agents were recruiting nurses to several countries in the Middle East by taking huge commission. Nurses aspiring for jobs in Kuwait are asked to pay from Rs2 million to Rs2.5million. Reports said many nurses had given the money and were being interviewed in different parts of the country.

The private agencies are canvassing nurses saying that they may find it difficult to get the selection after the government agencies take over the recruitment. They claimed that they had got permission from the protector of emigrants to recruit nurses.

However, reports said that the ministry of external affairs had directed PoEs to cancel permission if any they have given to private agencies for recruiting the nurses to foreign countries. The order signed by deputy secretary Kshijit Mohan was sent to the PoEs on April 20. Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Minister K C Joseph said that the propaganda by the private agencies was aimed at fleecing the nurses.

He said that state the government will not allow such nurses to leave the country. The federal government has brought emigration of nurses to 18 countries under ECR (immigration clearance required) category following the ban on recruitment by private agencies. These countries include UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Malaysia and Thailand.

The minister said that the two Kerala government agencies, Norka Roots and Overseas Development Employment Promotion Council, that have been authorized by the federal government to recruit nurses were all set to begin the recruitments from May first week.

The state government is planning to make the recruitment of nurses by the two agencies free of cost. State Labour Minister Shibu Baby John said that the Kuwait government had agreed to make employers pay the recruitment charge. The suggestion was put forth by a team of senior officials of the two agencies that visited Kuwait recently to finalise the modalities of the recruitment. The foreign employers who wish to recruit nurses from India will have to register through the country’s e-migrate system.