The Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have started replacing Kerala as a significant contributor from India of the blue-collar workforce in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, according to a report.

A substantial shift in migration patterns was witnessed over the last decade, with Kerala seeing a 90% drop in workforce going to the Middle Eastern nations, Press Trust of India reported, citing a report by blue-collar worker placement platform Huntr.

The top five labour-sending Indian states are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu, while the preferred destinations remain Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman.

According to the report, there has been a 50% increase in the migration of blue-collar workers from India to the GCC in the first seven months of 2023. In addition, the demographic profile of Indian migrants to Dubai in 2023 revealed a workforce primarily concentrated in the 20-40 age group.

However, the workforce landscape is evolving with increased women migrants, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Job opportunities are projected to surge in Dubai next year for construction workers, manufacturing technicians, hospitality staff, and healthcare support staff, Huntr stated.

(Editing by Brinda Darasha; brinda.darasha@lseg.com)