Joint statement by trade unions on decent work for Indian health and care workers migrating to Germany

Representatives of Indian trade unions and workers' organizations participating in the ILO National Trade Union Roundtable on Promoting Decent Work for Indian Health and Care Workers Migrating to Germany, held in Hyderabad on 23 July 2026, have adopted a Joint Statement reaffirming their commitment to promoting safe, regular, and rights-based labour migration. The statement emphasizes that migration should provide pathways for decent employment, professional development, and shared prosperity while ensuring respect for the rights and dignity of migrant health and care workers.

The statement highlights key challenges faced by migrant workers, including misinformation, unethical recruitment practices, excessive recruitment costs, informal employment, difficulties in the recognition of qualifications, discrimination, and barriers to fundamental principles and rights at work. Trade unions called for zero recruitment fees for migrant workers, contract transparency, recognition of qualifications, freedom of association, portable social protection, and joint monitoring mechanisms involving stakeholders in both origin and destination countries.

Recognizing the growing demand for elderly, long-term, and home-based care services, the statement stresses the need to protect the rights and well-being of migrant care workers, particularly women. It calls upon governments, employers, recruitment agencies, and other stakeholders in India and Germany to strengthen cooperation through gender-responsive policies, ethical recruitment, transparent employment practices, quality pre-departure orientation, effective grievance mechanisms, and full respect for ILO international labour standards.

The statement further advocates for bilateral labour migration agreements that address accountability, social protection portability, and active participation of trade unions in their development, implementation, and monitoring. Indian trade unions committed to strengthening awareness on safe migration pathways, promoting reliable information and ethical recruitment, supporting migrant workers throughout the migration cycle, and enhancing collaboration with trade unions in Germany and international trade union networks. Participants underscored that stronger cooperation between trade unions in India and Germany can serve as a model for promoting safe, fair, ethical, and rights-based labour migration in other corridors and sectors.