Indian employers angered by eMigrate system

A number of Indian employers in the UAE are annoyed over the technical faults in the eMigrate system operated by the Indian missions in the country due to which they are unable to recruit employees from India.

The eMigrate system was launched to smoothen and streamline the recruitment of Indian workers.

About 5,000 employment visas are going to expire this month, bringing recruitment of individual workers from India to a standstill, Khaleej Times reported today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his ongoing visit to the country, the first by an Indian premier in 34 years, met several Indian workers and businessmen and listened to their problems.

Indian missions in the UAE, meanwhile, have requested that the new online recruitment system be suspended, after glitches in the system jeopardised the placement of thousands of blue-collar workers to the UAE and other GCC countries, the paper reported separately.

“I have travelled to the Indian embassy five times to try to resolve this issue. They promised to complete the process but they could not due to failure of the new system,” said Al Ain—based contractor John Cherian, adding that the visas he had acquired for two workers have expired because of the delays.

Samkutty Chacko, who runs a small technical shop, said he has faced similar problems while attempting to bring in two Indian workers.

“I have contacted the Indian embassy by telephone and in person several times. But the result is negative. The new system is not working at all.
“I have lost about 6,000 dirhams ($1,633) and lost quota approval from the Ministry of Labour for two employees.

For a small business person like me, it is a considerable loss ... The situation is very bad. The Indian embassy asked (me) to contact the help desk support team in New Delhi, and they are of no help,” Chacko said.