SRINAGAR: Nearly 18,952 people from Jammu and Kashmir have been granted Emigration Clearances (ECs) for overseas employment between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2025, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The year-wise figures show a steep jump in 2022 and 2023 compared to the pandemic-hit years of 2020 and 2021. In 2020, 1,095 workers from the Union Territory received ECs, a number that dipped slightly to 992 in 2021. The trend changed sharply in 2022 when 4,868 people were cleared to work abroad, followed by a peak of 5,264 in 2023. The numbers then eased to 4,322 in 2024 and 2,411 in the first half of 2025.
The EC requirement applies primarily to those holding Emigration Check Required (ECR) category passports, often workers headed to Gulf and other overseas labour markets. The ministry reiterated that for women in this category, there is a minimum age limit of 30 years for overseas employment to guard against exploitation.
Officials also highlighted the role of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), which Indian embassies and consulates use to provide financial and legal assistance to citizens in distress abroad. This includes support for boarding and lodging, emergency medical care, legal aid, transportation of mortal remains, air passage to India, and payment of small fines and penalties.
Nationally, Uttar Pradesh topped the chart with 5,49,673 ECs issued in the five-and-a-half-year period, followed by West Bengal (1,24,979) and Tamil Nadu (96,619). Jammu and Kashmir’s tally, while far lower than the national leaders, reflects a steady outflow of workers, especially in the post-COVID years, with 2022 and 2023 together accounting for more than half of the UT’s total clearances.
The ministry said the emigration process and age safeguards were part of a broader effort to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian workers abroad while meeting the labour demands of foreign employers.
