Centre relaxes nursing job norms

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre has decided to grant emigration clearance to nurses who obtained visas or got jobs prior to March 12, 2015, the day on which the Centre made emigration clearance mandatory for nursing jobs in 18 ECR (Emigration Clearance Required) countries.

Though the fresh relaxation will be a relief to many nurses who were recruited to Gulf countries prior to new emigration rules coming into effect, sources in the emigration sector said the chances of misusing the relaxation could not be ruled out.

According to an order issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, all Protectors of Emigrants (PoE) should consider requests for emigration clearance received from individual nurses who had been 'selected / recruited' for overseas employment in any of the 18 ECR countries before March 12, 2015.

The order further clarified that the candidates will have to submit supporting documents like interview letter or medical check-up records to prove that the selection or recruitment took place prior to March 12, 2015. There had been widespread complaints that many nurses who were selected for nursing jobs abroad and awaiting visas were left in the lurch following the Centre's decision to restrict recruitments only through government agencies and as well as making emigration clearance mandatory.

Though the state government earlier announced that those who obtained nursing visas prior to the enforcement of the new norm could get emigration clearance through NORKA-Roots, there were practical difficulties in its implementation. Meanwhile, sources in the emigration sector said that there was high chance of misusing the fresh relaxation by presenting predated recruitment or selection documents.