10,000 Indians lose jobs due to eMigrate system snags

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10,000 Indians lose jobs due to eMigrate system snags
Discrepancies in implementation of the eMigrate system have added to crisis caused by software glitches, an organisation of recruitment agencies has said.

Dubai - Employment Promotion Council of Indian Personnel alleged that discrepancies in the implementation of the eMigrate system have added to the crisis caused by software glitches.

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Published: Mon 17 Aug 2015, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Tue 18 Aug 2015, 3:02 PM

An organisation of recruiting agencies in Mumbai has claimed that over 10,000 workers in India lost their jobs due to technical glitches in a new online recruitment system.
It also alleged that discrepancies in the implementation of the eMigrate system have added to the crisis caused by software glitches.
Employment Promotion Council of Indian Personnel claims to represent the majority of professional Indian recruiting agencies dealing with big employers in GCC countries and having members who are major stakeholders in sending around 75 per cent of workforce to the UAE.

Businessmen lose money as visas expire

Bernd Debusmann Jr.
Many Indian businessmen in the UAE have been left frustrated with the glitches in the eMigrate system and the Indian government's response.
"I have travelled to the Indian embassy five times to try resolve this issue," said Al Ain-based contractor John Cherian. " They promised to complete the process but they could not due to failure of the new system." Cherian said the visas he had acquired for two workers have expired because of the delays.
"I lost more than Dh5,000 ... as immigration and labour department fees are non-refundable," he said.
Samkutty Chacko, who runs a small technical shop, said he has faced similar problems while attempting to bring in two Indian workers.
"I have contacted the Indian embassy by telephone and in person several times," he said. "But the result is negative. The new system is not working at all.
"I have lost about Dh6,000 and lost quota approval from the Ministry of Labour for two employees. For a small business person like me, it is a considerable loss ... The situation is very bad. The Indian embassy asked (me) to contact the help desk support team in New Delhi, and they are of no help."
Another businessman, George Varghese, lamented the troubles the e-migrate system has caused.
"I lost money and it affected my business since immigration clearance formalities cannot be completed," he said. "It is sad and the condition is pathetic."
bernd@khaleejtimes.com
The council has alleged that the eMigrate manual from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs mandates online auto registration of foreign employers valid for a period of five years, whereas Indian missions have reduced the period to one year.
"It also mandates for auto approval of projected demand (for workers) for the period of five years to be raised by foreign employer, without asking for any prior approval of approved quota from local authorities ... (However) Indian missions insist (on) ... showing recruitment approval from local authorities," chairman of the council, Deepak Chhabria, said in an e-mailed statement to Khaleej Times.
"There is no mention of any offline collection of charges to be collected by Indian missions, whereas charges are being collected by Indian missions without issuing any receipt. Only some coupons are handed over by Indian missions at the time of raising demand.
"Employers who have registered ... are called after 15 days to consulate offices with original documents, which were already uploaded by them at the time of registration."
Chhabria said only auto online approval of foreign employers' registration and the demand raised for workers by them can help solve the current technical crisis in the eMigrate system.
The Indian Consulate in Dubai did not respond to questions on these allegations.
As reported by Khaleej Times on Saturday, Indian missions in the UAE have requested that their government suspend the system, after glitches jeopardised the placement of thousands of blue-collar workers to the UAE and other GCC countries.
sajila@khaleejtimes.com 


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