UP, Bihar Replace Kerala As Top Supplier Of Blue-Collar Workforce To Gulf Nations: Report

MUMBAI: 

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have begun replacing Kerala, which was a significant contributor to the blue-collar workforce, from India to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, a report said on Friday.

Over the last decade, there has been a notable shift in migration patterns, with Kerala witnessing a 90 percent drop in workforce going to the Middle East nations, according to a report by blue-collar worker placement platform Huntr.

However, this void left by Kerala was filled by Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar, which are emerging as the top two contributors to the Gulf migration landscape, according to the report.

The top five labour-sending states include UP, Bihar, Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, while the preferred destinations remained Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, it added.

According to the report, there has been a 50 percent increase in the migration of blue-collar workers from India to the GCC in the first seven months of 2023.

The report by Huntr is based on data on its platform.

The report further revealed that the demographic profile of Indian migrants to Dubai in 2023 reveals a workforce primarily concentrated in the 20-40 age group, indicative of individuals in their prime working years.