MEA Releases Draft Of Overseas Mobility Bill To Replace Emigration Act

The Ministry of External Affairs proposes to introduce the Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2025 in the Parliament that will replace the existing Emigration Act, 1983. In the same light the Ministry made the draft of the bill public on Thursday.

The Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2025 aims to make overseas work safer and better managed for Indian citizens. It sets up rules to ensure smooth and secure migration, especially for jobs abroad. The bill also introduces policies and schemes to protect the rights and welfare of Indians working overseas.

It also establishes a framework which creates policies and schemes for incentivising policy actions for protection and promotion of welfare of emigrants.

The features of the proposed Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2025 include these details below.

• Proposal to establish an Overseas Mobility and Welfare Council that aims to provide greater convergence between Ministries with respect to policy management.

• The Bill seeks to strike a balance between promoting opportunities abroad and establishing a regulatory framework for protection and welfare of vulnerable categories.

• The Bill creates a mechanism to oversee administration and implementation of international agreements on migration and mobility.

• It creates robust data driven policy management based on labour studies and coordinated actions with different ministries and departments.

The main goal of the new bill is to create a clear, data-backed system that helps Indian citizens migrate safely and legally for jobs abroad. This aligns with India's current foreign policy focus on expanding global work opportunities.

The ministry has said that comments or suggestions on the draft Bill may be sent to any of these emails, us1.epw@mea dot gov dotin, consultant4.epw@mea dot gov dot in and so2oia1@mea dot gov dot in by 07 November 2025.