The Impact of Covid-19 on Emigrants and Their Families of Kerala: A Comparative Study of Migrants to the Gulf and Other Countries

Abstract

The economic and social disorder caused by the Covid-19 has created difficulty in the lives of many that lead to loss of human life, rising poverty, loss of job and extreme shortage of health care facilities. Emigrants of Kerala who had migrated to the middle east and other countries are the ones who were severely affected by the Covid-19 crisis in terms of loss of lives, jobs, incomes, etc, Besides, a significant number of them also suffered mental and psychological disorders and trauma due to death of spouses or children or other relatives, while several of them were also stranded without access to adequate food, healthcare facilities and medicines. This paper is an attempt to present a rapid assessment of the impact on the emigrants from Kerala to the Middle East and other countries and their families due to the Covid-19. Based on a small survey of the emigrants and families, the paper traces the immediate impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and its implications on their future job prospects and socio-economic status of the households. The study concludes that government support measures need proper streamlining in terms of addressing the challenges faced by the low-end migrant workers in the Middle East. In this regard, the state government of Kerala in collaboration with Non-Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA) Department, should come out with a permanent institutional arrangement to address the problems of the teeming problems of the low-end migrant workers on a priority basis.