Covid-19 changed migration patterns in India

Source: The post Covid-19 changed migration patterns in India has been created, based on the article “Tracking migration, five years after Covid” published in “Indian Express” on 24th March 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper1-Society-population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and their remedies.

Context: The Covid-19 pandemic exposed deep vulnerabilities in India’s migration system. It caused large-scale disruptions in internal and international migration, revealed governance gaps, and altered migration patterns. Five years later, many pre-Covid trends have resumed, but new dynamics and challenges have emerged.

For detailed information on Understanding Internal Migration Trends and Challenges read this article here

Impact of Covid-19 on Internal Migration

1. Covid-19 triggered unprecedented reverse migration from urban to rural areas in India.
2. Around 44.13 million migrants returned home during the first lockdown, and 26.3 million during the second.
3. Migrants, mainly low-wage and seasonal workers, suffered wage theft, hunger, discrimination, and violence.
4. Families relying on remittances faced severe financial distress.
5. Rural areas lacked adequate job opportunities; MGNREGA provided only temporary relief.
6. Climate change added stress on rural livelihoods, causing migration due to distress in agriculture, as observed in Odisha (IIMAD-FAO-IOM study).

Migration patterns after 5 years of COVID

1. Return to Urban Migration: Within five years, most migrants have returned to urban areas due to lack of opportunities and low wages in rural regions. Migration to cities remains strong, with projections indicating 40% of India’s population will live in urban areas by 2026. Programmes like the Smart Cities Mission continue to support urbanisation and rely heavily on migrant labour.
2. Impact on International Migrants: During the pandemic, Indian emigrants—especially in GCC countries—faced job losses, wage cuts, overcrowded living conditions, and poor sanitation. Despite these issues, remittances remained stable and vital for many households in India, reinforcing their role as a development driver.
3. New Destinations and Emerging Trends: Post-pandemic, Indian migration is diversifying. While GCC countries still attract workers, more Indians are migrating to Europe. In 2023, they were the top recipients of the EU Blue Card. Non-traditional European destinations like Malta and Georgia are gaining popularity. African countries are also attracting Indian migrants, but risks remain, as shown by the Jharkhand workers stranded in Cameroon.
4. Healthcare and Student Migration: There is continued global demand for Indian healthcare workers. Student migration has sharply increased. In Kerala, student migrants nearly doubled from 1.29 lakh in 2018 to 2.5 lakh in 2023. Outward remittances for education peaked at $3,171 million in 2021. Events like the Russia-Ukraine war also highlighted student vulnerabilities.

Challenges in Migration Governance

1. Schemes like e-Shram and ONORC aim to support migrants but face issues like low awareness, digital barriers, and limited coverage.

2. The delay in the 2021 Census and lack of updated data on emigrants restrict effective policy-making. PLFS data from the pandemic period doesn’t reflect long-term trends.

Way Forward
India needs a stronger migration governance system backed by reliable data. Expanding the Kerala Migration Survey model to all states can improve planning and policy. Reforms must ensure social security, mobility rights, and inclusive support systems for all migrants.

Question for practice:

Examine how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted internal and international migration patterns in India and the challenges it revealed in migration governance.