SWADES initiative to map skills of foreign returnees

Under SWADES (Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support) initiative, which is a part of the Vande Bharat Mission, the government will conduct a skill mapping exercise of workers returning to India from overseas. The Vande Bharat initiative has been undertaken by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), under the Skill India Mission, in partnership with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). 

This endeavour aims to create a database of qualified citizens based on their skillsets and experience, which can be tapped to fulfill demand of Indian and foreign companies through SWADES skill cards. These will be created based on a SWADES skill form filled up by the returning citizens.

“The card will facilitate a strategic framework to provide the returning citizens with suitable employment opportunities through discussions with key stakeholders including state governments, industry associations and employers,” the skills development ministry said.

Most of these foreign returnees hail from the states of Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka and have returned from UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These have been primarily employed in industries such as oil and gas, aviation, construction, tourism and hospitality and IT & ITeS.