Nearly 19,000 Jammu Kashmir residents went overseas for jobs in past five years: Government

August 9, 2025 by News Desk

18,952 people from Jammu Kashmir have received official clearance to work abroad between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2025, according to figures presented in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Emigration Clearance (EC) requirement primarily applies to passport holders in the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category, a group that largely includes workers heading to Gulf nations and other overseas labour markets.

The data shows a sharp rise in numbers after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, 1,095 workers from J\&K were granted ECs, dipping slightly to 992 in 2021. The trend reversed in 2022, when 4,868 workers secured clearances, followed by a peak of 5,264 in 2023. The figure fell to 4,322 in 2024 and stood at 2,411 in the first half of 2025.

The ministry said women in the ECR category must be at least 30 years old for overseas employment to reduce the risk of exploitation. It also highlighted the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF), used by Indian embassies and consulates to assist citizens in distress abroad—covering expenses for boarding, lodging, emergency medical care, legal aid, repatriation of mortal remains, return airfare, and payment of small fines.

On a national scale, Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of ECs during the same period (5,49,673), followed by West Bengal (1,24,979) and Tamil Nadu (96,619).

While J-K’s figures are far lower, officials noted that the post-pandemic years accounted for more than half of the Union Territory’s total overseas job clearances.

The ministry said the clearance process and age restrictions are part of broader measures to ensure worker safety abroad while meeting foreign labour demands.