Access to Social Protection by Immigrants, Emigrants and Resident Nationals in India

Abstract

India has a segmented social protection system. About 92% of workers in India are in unorganised sector, deprived of formal social security provisions. Those who are in formal sector receive very generous social protection arrangements close to that of welfare states in Europe, primarily influenced by the colonial legacy. Those in the informal sector primarily meet their social security needs from their disposable income. With expansive private welfare providers, the rich segment in the informal segment is able to afford this. Indian unskilled migrants, mainly in the Gulf region, have a range of benefits that are primarily to meet the civil rights, rather than social rights. Compared to this, Indian migrants in Western Europe and the Americas mainly benefit from the social security system in those countries. On the other hand, foreigners coming to India have limited social security arrangements. Since 2000, India has entered into bilateral agreements with several countries, which also recognise a new category of workers called ‘international workers’. These workers have their social security benefits primarily protected as in source country.