Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

29-November-2012 16:58 IST

Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC) has been introduced as an informative helpline to assist emigrants or those intending to go abroad for employment to any of the 17 notified Emigration Clearance Required (ECR) countries. A national toll free number is available 24X7 and supports eight regional languages to guide/assist emigrants and/or lodge complaints against Recruiting Agents/unregistered agents and/or foreign employers.

In the year 2012 (upto 15th November), 39,514 such calls were attended to.

This information was given by the Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Vayalar Ravi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

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Samir/DB

Emigration helpline aids migrant workers with guidance and complaint lodging against recruiters and foreign employers. The Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC) is a national informational helpline for emigrant workers to the 17 Emigration Clearance Required countries, operating a 24x7 toll free number in eight regional languages to provide guidance and to lodge complaints against recruiting agents, unregistered agents and foreign employers; 39,514 calls were attended to in 2012 up to 15 November.