THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The flow of nurses from Kerala to Gulf countries that came to a grinding halt following fresh restrictions is likely to resume soon, at least on a passive scale, within the next few weeks.
NORKA-Roots have received a demand for the recruitment of nurses from the UAE and are expecting another from Oman soon. “We hope to commence the recruitment process by next week,” said NORKA-Roots chief executive officer R S Kannan.
Sources in the emigration sector said that it would take a long time to regain the earlier pace of overseas recruitment for nurses. Over 50,000 nursing graduates have already enrolled with NORKA-Roots and Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Council and are awaiting job calls. But many foreign employers were still reluctant to register with e-Migrate.
“Anticipating the restrictions, many foreign employers had made mass recruitments during the last few months. Hence it may take some more time for foreign employers to place a demand for nurses,” said sources.
While scores of nursing job visa holders used to migrate through the three airports in the state every day till recently, the numbers came down to almost nil over the last few days,. Only those being recruited on the basis of relaxation offered by High Court are now able to go abroad.
Meanwhile, the Protector of Emigrants or airport emigration officials were yet to receive directives on the lines of the announcement of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to give relaxations to those who had been issued a visa prior to May 31.
On that day fresh restrictions mandating emigration clearance for taking up nursing jobs and restricting nursing recruitment only though government agencies, came into force.
