International Worker Migration and Remittances in South Asia: A Landscape of India’s Emerging Scenario

Since the decolonisation of the South Asian countries, international labour migration has been one of the predominant factors affecting the economic conditions in the region. However, with the advancements in the means of transportation and communication, this process—since the last couple of decades—has considerably intensified, quickened and become more pronounced, resulting in a key global phenomenon. In 2013, South Asians were the largest group of international migrants living outside their countries of birth. Equally, in 2012, while the global remittances were recorded as US$ 590 billion, South Asian countries received US$ 107 billion. India alone received the remittances amounting to US$ 71 billion, and has been listed at the top of the ten highest remittance-receiving countries as of 2013. This paper reviews and discusses some of the major trends, patterns and impact of labour migration in South Asia with special reference to India. Some possible interventions vis-à-vis better capitalising the labour migration processes in South Asia are considered for debate and discussion. © 2017, Indian Society of Labour Economics.