THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the central government started the Vande Bharat Mission, there was a mad rush among expatriates to return to Kerala. With no salary and jobs lost, expatriates from the Middle East were keen to return. But now the latest trend is that the Middle East is slowly getting back to normal which has set the remaining expatriates pondering about staying back there. Moreover, there is apprehension among the expatriates on what lies in store for them in Kerala. But migration expert S Irudaya Rajan still expects more expatriates until December.
Following the Covid outbreak in late February-March, Irudaya Rajan, professor, Centre for Development Studies, had predicted that by September, Kerala is going to witness reverse migration which will see 2.5 lakh - 3 lakh Malayalais coming back for good. His forecast has been right as NORKA-Roots CEO Harikrishnan Namboodiri confirmed to TNIE that so far 2 lakh out of the 5 lakh registered expatriates had returned home. But over the last few weeks there has been a lull in the migrants’ return due to a host of reasons. If earlier people were in panic mode, now reality has struck the expats on what lies next.
“The Malayalis’ network is so good that the expatriates are aware of what they should do for a livelihood. They are aware that nothing great is happening in the country or in Kerala as there is high unemployment in the current circumstances. There is a big question before them on what they will do once they return home. Over the last several weeks, the mortality rate in the Middle East has come down forcing them to stay back there,” Irudaya Rajan told TNIE.
Normal flight services from the MiddleEast have also not resumed yet. Once the expatriates land here, they will be whisked away for 14-day home quarantine. This has also led the expatriates to think twice before they set off on the journey to Kerala. But those expatriates, mostly the blue-collar workers, who have already lost jobs or failed to renew visas, have since returned home. Now, those choosing to stay back in the MiddleEast are qualified people who can afford to get a job change as the economy there is limping to normalcy.
“There are a plethora of non-specific uncontrollable factors -- Covid cases are seeing a spike in Kerala and there is uncertainty on what lies in store for them if they return home. The emotional and distress modes are over and now what is being seen is the realisation to fight the pandemic situation,” said Namboodiri.