Overseas Workers Research Centre (OWRC), Migrant Resource Centres (MRC)   

Policy Update
Shreya Parthiban

Background: 

India’s formal support for the migrant workers began under the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (now MEA). The Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC) was launched in January 2008 (which was inaugurated on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas) as a 24/7 helpdesk for emigrant workers. This intervention was urgently needed due to the persistent systematic gaps and vulnerabilities in India’s pre-existing emigration framework, which has failed to adequately protect the low-skilled migrant workers and especially those heading to the Gulf Countries. Some of India’s broader emigration governance included the Legacy of Broker-Based Emigration (Pre-2000s), Weakness of the Emigration Act, 1983, and Inadequate Institutional Coordination pre-2000s.

Within a year, the government opened the first Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Kochi in December 2008 to provide walk-in counselling and information. Additional MRCs were followed: Hyderabad in 2009, Gurgaon by 2011, Chennai and Lucknow by mid-2010s. These centres were set up through partnerships (e.g. with state governments or the IOM) to give the prospective migrants face-to-face guidance. By 2018, OWRC was renamed Prasvasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK), and the new Kshetriya Pravasi Sahayata Kendras (KPSKs) were established in Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Patna, and Kochi to coordinate with the Protector of Emigrants offices. This initiative is part of India’s broader diaspora policy to protect migrants and streamline legal labour migration. 

Functioning: 

The OWRC/PBSK and the MRCs/KPSKs function as a one-stop information and grievance redress mechanism for Indian workers who are going abroad. They provide a multilingual 24/7 support in 11 Indian languages: 

Walk-in MRC/KPSK centres are usually co-located with POE offices, and offer counselling on migration procedures, documentation, visa requirements and the status of recruiting agents. Some of the key services of these include: 

• Information dissemination: Authenticating foreign employers and recruiting agents, explaining visa/emigration rules, work contracts, PBBY insurance, etc.

• Grievance Registration: OWRC/PBSK registers complaints about wage defaults, abuse or fraud. It then follows up on cases via eMigrate channels and coordinates with Indian Missions and government stakeholders for resolution. 

• Counselling and Awareness: The centres counsel the aspirants on safe migration, gender-specific cautions, remittance channels, and support to families. They also conduct outreach (print/ e-media campaigns) to make the workers aware of legal migration. 

• Operational Insights: Some of the MRCs have a multilingual staff that is trained in pre-departure orientation and psychosocial support, especially in regions with a high female migration. The PBSK central helplines use the call-routing algorithms to connect callers with regionally relevant counsellors

The MRCs publicise the status of emigration-clearance agents and report illegal operators. All OWRC/MRC data, like complaints, calls, are tracked in the MEA’s Emigration Management Information System, and that is shared with Protectors of Emigrants (POEs). This integrated design ensures that migrants get timely advice and any complaint is escalated to the relevant embassy, labour department or legal aid body. 

Performance: 

The official records show significant usage of OWRC/MRC services. For instance, in 2012, OWRC logged 43,569 calls on its 24/7 helpline. Although the updated call-volume data are not publicly released, reports show the utilisation of the agencies. The complaints that are processed through this mechanism have grown between 2020 and 2022, and the cases of illegal migration or trafficking ranged from 139 to 297 per year. This rise reflects the increased reporting and also possibly stricter enforcement against the people. 

Similar to this, eMigrate portal records show thousands of grievances filed via OWRC/PBSK. Independent audits and Parliamentary Committees have generally viewed the helpline and MRCs positively. A 2018 Lok Sabha answer noted that OWRC/PBSK provides “information, guidance and grievance redressal on all issues” that are facing the overseas workers. A Standing Committee earlier recommended publicity of OWRC services to reach more migrants. There are reports that indicate collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and state NRI cells (e.g. Kerala NORKA) to improve outreach. 

Sample Regional Data from Parliamentary Records & Reports:

Note: Data are approximated from scattered RTI replies and state government reports.

Impact: 

By consolidating resources under one ministry division, OWRC and MRC initiatives have streamlined the support for Indian migrants. These centres work on-site measures like the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) and embassy helplines by providing crucial pre-departure support. For many workers, they serve as the first point of contact for issues such as visa status, contract verification, and wage disputes.

Their informational role is preventive; for example, OWRC’s verification of employer and contact details helps protect workers from fraud. The recent integration of Prasvasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSKs), formerly known as KPSKs, with the Protector of Emigrants (POE) offices aims to ensure more effective face-to-face grievance redressal. These centres serve as “single-window” platforms for migration-related guidance. 

1. Prevention: Reducing Exploitation Risks before Departure: A strength of the OWRC and MRCs lies in their preventive informational role. By verifying the foreign employer credentials, contract terms, and the recruiting agent licences, these centres help reduce fraud and unauthorised migration. For example, the OWRC helpline crosses off the unregistered or blacklisted recruiting agents, where it has been crucial in regions like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where fraud-prone informal brokers are common. 

2. Protection: On-the-Ground Resolution and Crisis Support: OWRC and MRCs play a vital role in grievance redressal and crisis mitigation. In Qatar (2017 – 2018), the Indian embassies, with support from the OWRC system, coordinated the resolution and which affected hundreds of Indian construction workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, OWRC helplines supported workers who were stranded overseas by connecting them with ICWF-funded repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission. 

3. Policy Inputs: Data-Driven Reforms and Institutional Learning: The data that is collected through the OWRC call logs, MRC walk-ins, and eMigrate complaint records go into the Emigration Management Information System (EMIS). The mandatory Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) insurance scheme was refined in part due to the trends identified in the grievance data. The evidence of the gendered abuse in Gulf countries, which is reported through the OWRC channels, has contributed to the stricter emigration clearance rules for women, which include age and employment verification clauses. 

Emerging Issues: 

Despite their contributions, OWRCs and MRCs continue to face several challenges: 

• Data Gaps: India lacks comprehensive, disaggregated data on migrant workers. There is a recent study that noted that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no unified registry of outbound labour. This disrupts OWRC/MRC efforts to target outreach, monitor migrant flows, or measure the service coverage effectively. Migrant databases haven’t been established due to Jurisdictional fragmentation, Regulatory and Legal Ambiguity, and Technical and capacity constraints. 

• Capacity Constraints: Many MRCs face staff shortages and operate only during limited hours (typically weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), restricting accessibility. Although the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in 2018 the integration of MRCs with the Protector of Emigrants (POE) offices to address this, implementation has been very uneven across regions. The MRCs are still understaffed due to Funding limitations, Grant uncertainty, Human Resource Bottlenecks, and Uneven interpretation of the 2018 Integration Plan. 

• Technological Limitations: While OWRC has expanded to digital channels like WhatsApp and social media, many migrant workers still rely heavily on toll-free numbers and in-person visits. Digital literacy remains a hurdle, especially when it comes to using the eMigrate portal for lodging grievances or verifying contracts. 

• Labour Trafficking: Labour trafficking continues to remain a persistent issue, with hundreds of cases that are being referred to Indian missions each year. This underscores the urgent need for OWRC/MRCs to expand their outreach and early warning systems. Vulnerable workers fall through the gaps because of Informal and Unregistered Recruitment Channels, Low Awareness in Aspirational and Backwards Districts, Gendered Vulnerabilities, and Inadequate Real-Time Monitoring or Early Warning Systems. 

Way Forward: 

• Expand outreach and data: Strengthen linkages with state NRI cells and NGOs to conduct awareness in regions. Integrate OWRC/MRC data with the newly proposed National Migration Portal to track profiles of emigrants. 

• Focus on Vulnerable groups: Create dedicated “women’s corner” counselling sessions at MRCs and a female-majority helpline staff for gender-specific issues. Strengthen pre-departure orientation for domestic workers, linking them to OWRC before departure. Collaborate with Ministries of Skill Development/Labour to keep track of returning migrants to re-skilling programmes via KPSKSs. 

• Enhanced Funding: Allocate a dedicated budget line within the MEA for diaspora welfare to allow regular hiring, training and capacity building at these centres. Continuous monitoring by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs can ensure accountability for OWRC/MRC outcomes. 

Implementing these will build on existing frameworks to fill in the persistent gaps. Ultimately, the aim should be to make OWRC/MRC the de facto first responders for any overseas worker issue, thereby preempting crisis and ensuring the welfare of India’s overseas workforce. 

References: 

1. Annual report 2012-13. (n.d.). https://www.mea.gov.in/images/pdf/annual-report-2012-13.pdf  
2. / TNN /  Sep 25, 2011. (n.d.). Extension of migrant resource centre sought: Hyderabad News – Times of India. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/extension-of-migrant-resource-centre-sought/articleshow/10110826.cms  
3.  K, P. (n.d.). Migrant Resource Centre inaugurated. The New Indian Express. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2008/Dec/16/migrant-resource-centre-inaugurated-10927.html#:~:text=KOCHI%3A%20Country%20%E2%80%99s%20first%20ever,Puthenpurakkal%20Building%20on%20Market%20Road  
4. Overseas workers resource centre | migrants in countries in crisis (Micic). (n.d.). https://micicinitiative.iom.int/overseas-workers-resource-centre  

About the Contributor: Shreya Parthiban, an undergraduate student at Sai University, Chennai and a Research Intern at Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI) 

Acknowledgement: The author sincerely thanks Ms Aasthaba Jadeja and the IMPRI team for their valuable support.

Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.

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