ILO, Kerala strengthen efforts to promote decent work for migrant care workers

NEW DELHI (ILO news) - The care economy is central to labour markets worldwide and is increasingly reliant on migrant workers, especially women, to meet the growing demand for paid direct and indirect care services. Kerala has been a significant state of origin for Indian migrant workers, with workers from the state forming a significant part of care infrastructures globally. Yet, they risk unsafe migration pathways, under-regulated employment conditions, high recruitment costs, and limited access to grievance redressal and social protection at the destination.

Recognizing these challenges and guided by the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s international labour standards, a state level Stakeholder Dialogue was held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on 21 April 2026, in collaboration with NORKA-ROOTS, a government agency under the Government of Kerala that works for the welfare and support of Non-Resident Keralites, and the ILO’s Migrant Care Project

© NORKA Roots

© NORKA Roots

The dialogue brought together important stakeholders, including senior representatives from Loka Kerala Sabha, NORKA Roots, Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE), Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC), Kerala Nursing Council, Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants Ltd. (ODEPEC) and the Goethe Institute, to reflect on research findings of an ILO commissioned study conducted by Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Thiruvananthapuram. The study examined trends and patterns of migration of care workers from Kerala to various destinations, recruitment dynamics, decent work gaps, and policy implications.

Kerala accounts for almost 75 per cent of emigration clearances granted to nurses from India. Discussions also highlighted persistent challenges, including recruitment malpractice, occupational downgrading, language training and the absence of adequate protections for domestic workers and caregivers who migrate through informal channels.

Based on the evidence presented, participants proposed recommendations to strengthen collaboration between the ILO and NORKA Kerala in promoting decent work for care workers, particularly domestic workers, care assistants and nurses migrating from the state. In his welcome remarks, Ajit Kolassery, CEO of NORKA Roots, highlighted the importance of addressing the challenges of unsafe migration, irregular recruitment pathways, high recruitment costs, uneven working conditions, and improving access to social security and grievance redressal mechanisms to promote the safety, dignity and well-being of care workers.

Kolessary emphasized Kerala government’s commitment to working with migrant care workers by “strengthening and streamlining what we already know works” and by developing a joint work plan with ILO to translate the recommendations emerging from the dialogue into time-bound institutional actions.

“The Dialogue provided a critical opportunity to bring key stakeholders together at the state level to agree to collectively advance collaborative policy action and strengthen institutional frameworks for promoting decent work for migrant care workers from Kerala”, said Ajit Kolassery, CEO, NORKA Roots.

Delivering the keynote address, Michiko Miyamoto, Director of the ILO India and the Decent Work Team for South Asia, underlined the global significance of Kerala's care workers and the responsibility of institutions to match their contribution with meaningful protection.

“Migrant care workers from Kerala are at the heart of global care systems and deserve governance frameworks that match their contribution. The ILO is committed to working with NORKA-ROOTS and all our partners to ensure that migration for care work from Kerala is safe, ethical, and with respect for their rights as workers," she said.

In his presidential address, P. Sreeramakrishnan, Resident Vice-Chairman of NORKA-ROOTS and former Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, stressed the importance of recognising the contribution of care workers to Kerala and the obligation of state institutions to serve them better.

“The men and women we are discussing today - our nurses, our caregivers and our domestic workers - have sustained the economies of Gulf nations, staffed care homes in Germany and hospitals of Ireland, and sent home remittances that have educated our children and strengthened our state. They have given enormously. The question before us is whether our institutions have given back in equal measure", he said.

Sindhu S, Additional Secretary of NORKA Department, Kerala, shared initiatives undertaken by the state government to promote and protect care workers migrating overseas. He also emphasized the need for clear and actionable recommendations, particularly those that can be implemented within the state’s existing mandate.

The importance of skill development and fair recruitment was also discussed with employer’s representatives, including Triple Win Germany and private recruitment agencies sending care workers to West Asia and European destinations.

"The deliberations, focused on evidence-based reflections, have led to action-oriented recommendations to guide future collaboration between ILO and the Government of Kerala on migrant care workers,” said Neha Wadhawan, National Project Coordinator, ILO’s Migrant Care project. Continuing ILO's engagement through the Migrant Care Project with NORKA and key stakeholders, state protection and access to decent work and rights will be expanded to cover important caregiver and domestic worker corridors beyond existing nursing-focused partnerships.