July 24, 2017
With effect from August 1, Insurance has been made mandatory for all Emigration Check Required (ECR) category passport holders who seek jobs in 18 countries which have been notified by India.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs notification, every Indian applying for emigration clearance from the concerned Protector of Emigrants (PoE) should obtain an insurance policy for a minimum period of two or three years and should be covered for a sum of Rs 10 lakh in the event of accidental death or permanent disability leading to loss of employment while working abroad. Insurance will be valid irrespective of change of employer or the insured worker’s location during the policy period. It’ll also remain valid during the person’s visit to India or any third country.
This move by the MEA through the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana 2017 scheme, will benefit nearly 70% of blue-collared workers proceeding for overseas employment. Most of the blue-collared workers going abroad do not opt for insurance and it’s only when something goes wrong they realize it’s important.The mandatory insurance cover will also help create a database of ECR workers abroad.