Accurate and updated pre-departure information is essential for safe migration

NEW DELHI (ILO News) - Trade unions, government representatives and international partners have reaffirmed the importance of providing accurate and up-to-date pre-departure information to ensure safe, fair and informed migration for Indian health and care workers seeking employment in Germany during a workshop supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO).

The National Training Workshop on Pre-departure Orientation (PDO) for Indian Health and Care Workers Migrating to Germany took place in Hyderabad on 22-23 July 2026 under the ILO's Migrant Care project, with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The workshop reviewed an updated draft Pre-departure Orientation and Training (PDOT) manual developed jointly by the ILO and Public Services International (PSI), a global trade union federation representing public service workers, including health and care workers.

A participant shares her perspectives during the National Training Workshop on 22 July 2026.

The discussions focused on steps to make the migration process fair and safe for Indian care workers, particularly nurses, caregivers and care assistants. Sessions covered the latest research on migration trends and patterns, reviewed the content and structure of the updated PDOT manual, and explored practical measures to strengthen fair recruitment, protect workers' rights and improve access to reliable pre-departure information.

The workshop brought together representatives of all 11 central trade unions in India, five care sector trade unions, global and regional trade union federations, including the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the South Asian Regional Trade Union Council (SARTUC) and Public Services International (PSI), together with six affiliated trade unions in India and Germany. Participants also included representatives from India's Office of the Protector of Emigrants, state-run recruitment agencies, the German Embassy, the Goethe-Institute, the Triple Win programme and Migration Oriented Development (MEG) programme of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The participants during the National Training Workshop on 22 July 2026.

Opening the workshop, Michiko Miyamoto, Director of the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team for South Asia and Country Office for India, highlighted the vital contribution of care workers to both origin and destination countries.

"Migrant women make up a significant proportion of the care workforce and often face higher risks of exploitation, including excessive recruitment costs and challenges at destination. This may be mitigated by access to accurate information on available trade union support and government led initiatives," said Miyamoto.

The Director welcomed government-to-government initiatives such as Germany's Triple Win programme as an important model for standard-setting in recruitment and placement. She also underscored the importance of ensuring that migrant workers have access to accurate and reliable information before departure and thanked PSI for its collaboration in updating the PDOT manual.

Meike Jaeger, Counsellor and Head of the Labour and Social Affairs at the German Embassy, welcomed the ILO and the Migrant Care project's efforts to bring in workers representatives and workers voices to inform the manual. She highlighted the important role of trade unions in working with governments in countries of origin and destination to promote decent work, freedom of association and collective bargaining for migrant workers in the care economy.

Participants shared experiences from India, Germany and the Philippines, reflecting on migration trends, the challenges faced by migrant care workers and the efforts of governments and trade unions to strengthen protection throughout the migration process. Key messages included the need for timely, accurate and destination-specific pre-departure orientation and training; the importance of German language training before migration; and greater civic and legal awareness, including passport and visa procedures, local laws, traffic regulations and cultural orientation.

Participants agreed that accurate pre-departure information is essential to ensuring safe migration and committed to working together to raise awareness among prospective migrant workers. India's central trade unions also agreed to include their contact details in the updated PDOT manual to strengthen support and referral mechanisms for migrant workers. Recommendations from the workshop included strengthening institutional capacity and continuing collaboration with the ILO to promote decent work for migrant care workers from India.

The participants at the "National Training Workshop on Pre-departure Orientation (PDO) for Indian Health and Care Workers Migrating to Germany" in Hyderabad on 22 July 2026.