Fewer Indians will migrate for work

Significance

These include internal migrants, who seek work in parts of the country beyond their hometowns and villages, and expatriate nationals, who are employed abroad. The restrictions on movement and pressures on businesses arising from the COVID-19 crisis have curbed these labour flows.

Impacts

• The return of internal migrants to their rural homes should help agriculture expand, mitigating the pandemic-related economic downturn.
• A rise in unemployment could prompt an increase in anti-government protests.
• Many South Asian countries could face balance of payments problems as migration abroad for work declines and remittances concomitantly fall.