THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a big relief to nurses aspiring to work abroad, the Centre on Thursday banned collection of recruitment fees for overseas nursing recruitments to 18 Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries.
From April 30, Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Council (Odepc) and Non Resident Keralites' Affairs (Norka) have been in charge of recruiting nurses from Kerala to 18 ECR countries.
On Thursday, an order issued by the overseas Indian affairs (MOIA) ministry amended immigration rules that permitted recruiting agencies to charge Rs 20,000 as recruitment fee.
The government had directed Odepc and Norka to take charge of nurses' recruitment after receiving complaints that private agencies were charging exorbitant sums like Rs 20 lakh. The government had announced that Odepc and Norka would charge only Rs 60,000 (Rs 20,000 as recruitment fee and Rs 40,000 towards the welfare fund).
The new order now means that Odepc and Norka cannot even levy even this fee.
To tide over the shortfall, the state government has put a proposal before the Kuwait government initial talks are over to remit a nominal fee per candidate as they are beneficiaries of the services.
"We have submitted our proposal seeking $350. The final decision has not been taken," principal secretary (labour and rehabilitation) Tom Jose said.
A top-level delegation from Kuwait led by under-secretary for medical services Jamal Al Harbi will visit the state next week to resolve all concerns regarding the recruitment process. The Kuwait government also has concerns with regards to routing all recruitment of candidates by 32 private agencies in Kuwait through the e-migrate system of the MOIA, a comprehensive online system covering emigration.
Thursday's decision has come at a time when a couple of nursing recruitment agencies based in Kochi are under scanner for swindling crores of rupees from potential nursing candidates scouting for overseas jobs.
After a recent raid on a Kochi nursing recruitment agency charging exorbitant rates from candidates, the labour department has been receiving inquiries and complaints with regards to cases where candidates have paid lakhs for overseas jobs.
The countries to which Odepc and Norka will recruit nursing professionals include UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq.
From April 30, Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Council (Odepc) and Non Resident Keralites' Affairs (Norka) have been in charge of recruiting nurses from Kerala to 18 ECR countries.
On Thursday, an order issued by the overseas Indian affairs (MOIA) ministry amended immigration rules that permitted recruiting agencies to charge Rs 20,000 as recruitment fee.
The government had directed Odepc and Norka to take charge of nurses' recruitment after receiving complaints that private agencies were charging exorbitant sums like Rs 20 lakh. The government had announced that Odepc and Norka would charge only Rs 60,000 (Rs 20,000 as recruitment fee and Rs 40,000 towards the welfare fund).
The new order now means that Odepc and Norka cannot even levy even this fee.
To tide over the shortfall, the state government has put a proposal before the Kuwait government initial talks are over to remit a nominal fee per candidate as they are beneficiaries of the services.
"We have submitted our proposal seeking $350. The final decision has not been taken," principal secretary (labour and rehabilitation) Tom Jose said.
A top-level delegation from Kuwait led by under-secretary for medical services Jamal Al Harbi will visit the state next week to resolve all concerns regarding the recruitment process. The Kuwait government also has concerns with regards to routing all recruitment of candidates by 32 private agencies in Kuwait through the e-migrate system of the MOIA, a comprehensive online system covering emigration.
Thursday's decision has come at a time when a couple of nursing recruitment agencies based in Kochi are under scanner for swindling crores of rupees from potential nursing candidates scouting for overseas jobs.
After a recent raid on a Kochi nursing recruitment agency charging exorbitant rates from candidates, the labour department has been receiving inquiries and complaints with regards to cases where candidates have paid lakhs for overseas jobs.
The countries to which Odepc and Norka will recruit nursing professionals include UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon, Thailand and Iraq.
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