A strong and effective immigration law is the need of the hour because for all expatriates, safety would take primacy over any other concerns, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. He was speaking at the valedictory session of the fifth Loka Kerala Sabha here on Saturday.
He added that this has remained a challenge because the responsibility for enacting a strong immigration legislation rests with the Union government.
It was after prolonged demands that the draft Emigration Bill, 2019 was released, followed by a second draft in 2021. In 2025, the draft Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill was published to replace the Emigration Act of 1983, incorporating substantial changes. However, though the new Bill is expected to modernise regulations to promote safe migration for Indian workers and protect them abroad, there are widespread concerns whether the proposed Bill adequately safeguards the interests and security of ordinary workers migrating overseas, Mr. Vijayan said.
The Chief Minister also criticised the Union government for its ‘serious inaction” in introducing the Bill in Parliament. He said that the State government has been repeatedly drawing the attention of the Centre to the urgent need for enacting the legislation on migration.
