India Centre for Migration (ICM)
About ICM
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) set up the India Centre for Migration (ICM) formerly known as Indian Council for Overseas Employment, as a ‘not for profit’ society under the Societies Registration Act 1860, in July 2008. The India Centre of Migration (ICM) serves as a research think-tank to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on all matters relating to international migration and mobility. The Centre undertakes empirical, analytical and policy related research, and undertakes pilot projects to document good practices. Over the years, ICM has expanded its scope of work, by following a multi-pronged approach by actively organizing workshops, research studies and seminars in collaboration with academic institutions, state governments and international bodies.
ICM conducts research studies which entails monitoring and analysis of the trends and dynamics of international labour market. It has also been contributing towards programs for skill development and skill upgradation to facilitate employment opportunities overseas.
The centre is the implementing partner representing MEA in the ongoing technical support project under the aegis of Joint Declaration on India-EU Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM).
ICM has broadened its scope by playing a pivotal role in conducting Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops and certifying Master Trainers. The trainers impart Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) Training to migrant workers in order to ensure that workers migrate safely for overseas employment with an enhanced skill-set. In this regard the PDO resource material in the form of comprehensive manuals and handbooks in seven languages has been developed. ICM has also developed a PDO manual on Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) Scheme of Government of Japan.
Apart from that, from the year 2020 onwards, ICM has commenced a host of research activities such as panel discussions, consultation workshops, conferences and empirical studies. These research endeavors are aimed at generating new ideas and research studies that cater to the underlying issues and areas concerning migration.
ICM envisions to lead research and analysis on international migration to support informed policy making and enable strategic interventions for a coherent and harmonised response to the transnational movement of people from India.
Governing Council (2021-2023)
Ex-Officio Members
Secretary, MEA - Chairman
- Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs or his/her representative
- Secretary, Ministry of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises or his/her representative
- Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment or his/her representative
State Governments – Bihar, West Bengal and Tamilnadu
Nominated Experts
- Shri. Yusuff Ali M.A., Chairman & Managing Director, LuLu Group International
- Shri. Shyam (K. G) Parande, International Coordinator, Sewa International & Secretary, Shri Vishwa Niketan
- Prof. Amarjiva Lochan, Dy. Dean, International Relations, University of Delhi
- Smt. Gayatri Kanth, Project Manager, International Organization of Employers (IOE)
The Executive Director/CEO of ICM is Member Secretary
Main Functions
- Build and maintain a database on emerging country/sector specific employment opportunities abroad.
- Identify labour supply gaps in overseas labour markets and the skill sets required by Indian workers to fill those gaps.
- Initiate programs for skill development and skill upgradation in consultation with professional bodies and the private sector and promote employment opportunities abroad.
- Initiate pre-departure orientation programs for various categories of workers.
- Coordinate with other employment promotion agencies, including the state manpower development corporations, project manpower suppliers and foreign employers.
- Initiate and support the study, monitoring and analysis of the trends and dynamics of international labour market, problems faced by the emigrant Indian workers in India and abroad, benchmark the best practices of other labour sending countries and recommend policy initiatives/strategies.
- Administer need based welfare support for overseas Indian workers including through institutional arrangements of a welfare fund for the purpose.
Main Objectives
- To serve as a ‘think tank’ to devise and execute medium to long term strategies for promoting overseas employment of Indians.
- To regularly monitor, study and analyze the trends in the International Labour Markets as well as strategies of various labour sending and receiving countries.
- To develop and sustain a national strategy to be globally competitive as a labour supplier.
- To commission studies on the international labour markets and identify emerging overseas employment opportunities for Indian youth.
- To position potential overseas Indian workers as ‘consumers’ of employment services provided by the private recruitment industry.
- To project India as a supplier of skilled, trained and qualified workers.
- To adapt training material developed by International Labour Organization and International Organization for Migration for specific states/country and gender.
- To administer need based welfare schemes for overseas Indian workers.
The Centre has a two-tier body comprising of a Governing Body and an Executive Directorate. The Governing Body is headed by Secretary (CPV & OIA), MEA , who is the Chairman of ICM. Other ExOfficio Members are the Secretaries or their representatives from Department of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Finance), Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Secretaries of three State Governments by rotation and four experts as external nominees by the Government. The Chief Executive Officer functions as Member Secretary of the Governing Body. The Governing Body provides the broad policy framework for the programmes and activities of ICM.
The Centre published research papers on the India-EU migration, labour market assessment report of 6 EU countries, and a report on Impact of Covid-19 on International Migration from India.
Initiatives at ICM
- Publicity Material
ICM has developed a number of awareness material for the welfare and protection of migrant workers. These include handbooks on safe and legal migration, aspiring women workers, for Indian students desirous of studying abroad and for Law Enforcement Agencies. It has developed posters on Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) and on Specified Skilled Worker Scheme of Japan. - India-EU CAMM
The Joint Declaration on a Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM) between India and the European Union and its Member States was signed on March 29, 2016. CAMM is largely a broad and flexible vision document on the issue of migration and mobility for both sides. India-EU High Level Dialogue on Migration and Mobility (HLDMM) provides an overall steering mechanism for implementation of the CAMM. Under the aegis of CAMM, ICM is the implementation partner from Government of India side. The other implementation partners are International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). A number of knowledge products on India- EU migration corridor have been developed under the project. - Collaboration Project with International Organization for Migration (IOM) on ‘Strengthening data-informed and migrant-centered migration management frameworks in India’
ICM is collaborating with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on a project titled ‘Strengthening data-informed and migrant-centered migration management frameworks in India’. The project was launched on 23rd March 2021, by Secretary (CPV & OIA) and Chairman, ICM. The main objective of the Project is to contribute to improving access to labour migration opportunities for aspiring Indian migrants through strengthened migration management frameworks. The key focus of the project is to learn from global best practices to:
- Strengthen framework for migration management to provide better opportunities to Indian workers
- Strengthen framework for emigration data collection in India and;
- Foster new initiatives to promote and facilitate labour migration from India to emerging markets in Europe.
- Research Activities/Panel Discussions/Consultations
ICM’s mandate to conduct research and support policy development is outlined in its Memorandum of Association. In pursuance of this mandate, ICM regularly organises Panel Discussions, Consultations and Conferences to provide a forum for practitioners, policymakers, academicians, researchers, recruiting agents and other relevant stakeholders to come together and deliberate on various themes surrounding international migration. With the onset of COVID-19, ICM has also started the practice of organising monthly virtual discussion on relevant themes concerning migration. These research activities have initiated, contributed and supported towards a detailed analysis of myriad aspects of international migration such as labour supply gaps, trends and dynamics of international labour market, skilling initiatives, sectoral analysis, international good practices concerning safety and welfare of emigrant workers, diaspora, remittances and development. ICM has also collaborated with universities and research institutes in India with the aim of advancing knowledge on international migration. - Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on International Migration from India
ICM prepared an in-house report looking at the impact of COVID-19 on India’s international migration in all its dimensions. The report analyses sectors and countries specifically GCC where Indian migrants are present in large numbers and the resultant impact due to the pandemic. It also focuses on major migration corridors India shares with the world and suggests some new areas of opportunity with recommendations for future policy interventions. The Report was launched on 30th March 2021, on ICM Foundation Day as part of India @75 celebrations. - Training of Trainers (ToT)
ICM has been organising Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshops, under the guidance of OIA-I Division of MEA in collaboration with State Government Agencies and partners, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and UNWomen. As of September 2021, 20 workshops have been conducted. These workshops are the first of their kind in India in providing holistic training on Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO) and generating immense awareness on migration related issues. - Other work of ICM
The India Centre for Migration lends its support to the various efforts of the Ministry of External Affairs towards facilitating safe and orderly migration from India. It also conducts research and prepares policy papers in line with the priorities of the government.
Contact ICMIndia Centre for Migration (ICM)Room No 310, Third Floor
ISIL Building, V.K Krishna Menon Bhawan
Bhagwan Das Road, New Delhi-110001
Contact no: +91-11-23070297
Email: icm[at]mea[dot]gov[dot]in
Publications by ICM
Publications by ICM| Sr. No. | Title | Download |
|---|
| 1 | Report on Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshops on Pre-Departure Orientation organised by ICM from March 2017- March 2018 |  (1, 024 KB) |
| 2 | Annual Reports of ICM for years 2011-12 to 2015-16 (Hindi Version) | (2, 343 MB) |
| 3 | Annual Reports of ICM for years 2011-12 to 2015-16 (English Version) | (1, 568 KB) |
| 4 | Annual Report 2016-17 | (749 MB) |
| 5 | Booklet on Welfare and Protection of Indians Abroad, January 2017 | (3.30 MB) |
| 6 | The Future of Migration from India: Policy, Strategy and Modes of Engagement by Mr. G. Gurucharan | (1,787 KB) |
| 7 | Gulf Migration, Social Remittances and Religion: The Changing dynamics of Kerala Christians by Dr. Ginu Zacharia Oommen | (1,192 KB) |
| 8 | Publications by ICM | (187 KB) |
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