The Changing Landscape of Indian Immigration
February 28, 2015
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By: Manal Galaria
India is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse economies worldwide. With a population of nearly 500 million, the country boasts the second largest labour force on the globe.
While hiring of expatriates has been growing at a steady pace over the last two decades, this trend has accelerated considerably in the last few years and has been even more pronounced in recent months due to the change in government and revival of the economy.
The attraction of skilled and qualified employees
With Indian companies increasing their presence globally, we are witnessing significant expatriate hires with the technical and functional knowledge to compete with global competitors. The huge supply of skilled and qualified candidates in India means that competition for jobs is high, although this is balanced by the number of international companies seeking to outsource work in India. This trend has been encouraged by the Indian government. Since 1991, it has placed increasing emphasis on foreign trade and investment by relaxing its hold on the economy. As multinational companies tend to have an international workforce, the number of expatriates working in India is also on the rise.
Recognizing that India is a growing economy, foreign universities are engaging in exchange programmes with universities in India. Inbound exchange programmes offer students new perspectives and a greater understanding of this emerging economy. This is supported by the Indian government and opportunities have expanded beyond these programmes to enable practical experience through internships in India.
India’s immigration revolution
As India returns to a path of economic growth, the population of foreign employees, residents and tourists is set to increase by 10–15 percent each year. Apart from the positive outlook of the economy, easier and cheaper travel, reliable connectivity, and a better lifestyle at much lower costs have greatly facilitated this trend.
To cater for the vast variety of requirements and inflow of immigrants, the Indian government has had to constantly innovate and revolutionise the immigration infrastructure.
The launch of the Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) project by the Ministry of Home Affairs was a significant stride towards modernising and upgrading the Indian immigration infrastructure. The core objective of this project was to develop and implement a secure and integrated service delivery framework that facilitates legitimate travellers while strengthening security and compliance.
The implementation of IVFRT enables authentication of a traveller’s identity at Missions, Immigration Check Posts (ICPs) and Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs)/Foreigners Registration Offices (FROs) through use of intelligent document scanners and biometrics, updates to foreigners’ details at entry and exit points, and improved tracking of foreigners through sharing of information captured during visa issuance at Missions, during immigration check at ICPs, and during registration and visa extension at the FRROs/ FROs.
To ensure that all systems work in sync, an online portal has been launched for all types of immigration applications. This, together with the introduction of an appointment-based system, has drastically reduced the wait time to complete in-country formalities. In addition, keeping in mind the comfort and overall experience of foreign nationals, the physical infrastructure and facilities at local FRROs/FROs have undergone a facelift.
Enormous change in India’s immigration philosophy
India’s immigration philosophy was previously clouded by ambiguity around guidelines and permissible activities under certain visa types. There was a marginal focus on tax and security issues, an absence of technology, and few checks and penalties for non-compliance.
However, the Indian government now has published clear guidelines for consular and in-country procedures and introduced new visa categories based on the purpose of the visit to India, marking a clear distinction on permissible activities. Amplified focus on specialized knowledge, tax and minimum salary remuneration and increased documentation has enabled the authorities to bring in a structured approach to identifying non-compliance and set out penalties for these issues. Requirement of security clearances and increased intervention by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs has streamlined the vast number of non-compliance and overstay matters.
To build on this strong foundation, other changes are making travel into India easier. The introduction of the Visa on Arrival facility and a corresponding increase in the scope of activities permitted is now offered to 43 countries. This is expected to be offered to more countries shortly.
The huge population of foreign nationals of Indian origin living abroad has also been considered. The Person of Indian Origin Card and the Overseas Citizenship of India Card have been merged, clearing the confusion as to who was eligible for which card.
With the anticipated increase in visitor numbers over the coming years, these improvements are very timely. The government’s investment in a simpler yet more secure immigration environment is making travel to India a far less complicated and much more relaxed experience for visitors of all types.
