8.7 mn Indians employed in West Asia, mostly in blue-collar jobs: Report

UAE remains the largest hub, followed by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

On June 12, a devastating fire broke out at a residential building in Kuwait’s Mangaf killing 50 migrant workers. At least 46 of them were Indians and most were involved in blue-collar jobs. The building was home to 196 migrant workers, mostly Indians.

The tragedy also trained a spotlight on the Indian diaspora working in West Asia for livelihood.

A report released on Tuesday has said that currently around 8.7 million Indians live in West Asia.

Samuel Joy, chief executive officer and founder of recruitment and data analytics platform Huntr said that this data is for six Gulf countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These Indians are “employed mostly in blue-collar jobs”, he said.

 

In the report, Huntr said that UAE remains the largest hub, with around 3.4 million Indian migrant workers, followed by Saudi Arabia at 2.6 million, Kuwait at 1 million, Qatar at 750,000, and Oman at 700,000.

Young adults, ranging from 18-30 years old, comprise approximately 50 per cent-60 per cent of the workforce going to these countries. They are willing to take labour-intensive job roles like construction labour, factory work, warehousing, and domestic help.

It is closely followed by middle-aged workers from 31-45 years old, representing 30-40 per cent of the migrant workforce, and are generally preferred for skilled work requiring experience.

Among all industries, the construction industry is the dominant employer of Indian blue-collar workers in West Asia, with high demand for roles such as labourers, masons, carpenters, and electricians.

This demand is driven by ongoing infrastructure projects and mega-developments in the UAE, Saudi Arabia’s NEOM and Red Sea Project.

“The healthcare, hospitality, and tourism industries have consistently employed Indian blue-collar workers in varied roles, such as housekeeping, cleaning, maintenance, and support staff,” it said.

The report added that construction labourers earn between $200-$500 per month, domestic helpers take home $300-$1000 per month, security guards earn $400-$1000 per month and skilled construction workers make $400-$800 per month. The warehouse workers/loaders receive $300-$500 per month in the region.

The Kuwait fire also brought into focus the living conditions of Indians in these countries. The Kuwait Municipality has launched a crackdown on illegal property extensions, the Arab Times reported.

The incident also shed light on the long-standing issue of unauthorised modifications to buildings, prompting authorities to take action to prevent such disasters in the future.

For years, the illegal conversion of property spaces has been a pervasive issue in Kuwait.

Basement parking areas have been transformed into warehouses, while ground-floor open spaces have been converted into housing units and shops, all in the pursuit of additional income.

These modifications, often carried out without proper approval, compromise the safety and integrity of buildings, the paper said.

NBTC Group, where the victims of the fire tragedy were employed, issued a statement, extending its deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and injured.

In response to the devastating accident, NBTC Group said it would provide immediate financial support to all affected families.