Oil Price–Migration Nexus in India

Given that India is globally the top recipient of migrant remittances and over 90 per cent of Indian worker emigration is to oil-producing nations in the Gulf region, such significant economic relations between the two regions raise concerns that decreasing oil prices may lead to serious negative economic impacts. This article attempts to understand the association between emigration and oil price, assuming that fluctuations in oil price will adversely affect the economic prosperity of oil-producing nations and thus the emigration prospects of a significant section of global migrant workers, including millions of South Asians. Examining the association between changes in oil price and emigration from India more specifically aims to ascertain whether there is a direct correlation, so that reasonable precautions may be made regarding the impact of oil price changes on South Asian worker migrant flows.

Letter to the Editor

I will not attempt to discuss the disagreement between Dr. Eisner and Dr. Gilbert, but would like to inform Dr. Gilbert that the Executive Board of the American Academy of Pediatrics has charged the Committee on Community Health Services with the problem of migrant workers and their families. This committee is to work closely with our Committee on Indian Health, which as an advisory body to the Indian Health Service, has been involved to a considerable extent with the problem of the migrant Indian worker.