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This study explores factors that initiate and perpetuate low skill labour migration from India to the EU,
examines the migration processes and evaluates the policy prescriptions available to manage such
migration flows. Based on a survey of the available quantitative and qualitative evidence, our study
points to the existence of a fairly stable and persistent demand for low skilled labour in the EU, at least
in the medium term. As this demand cannot be fully met from within the EU, there is and will remain
a strong demand for low skilled migrant workers from non-EU countries. This offers immense scope
for traditional labour sending countries like India as well as destination countries in the EU to
strengthen the migration–development nexus. Unfortunately, on both sides, there seems to be an
absence of a coherent and focused policy for governing migration of low skilled workers. Considering
that migration of low skilled workers from India is mainly directed to the Persian Gulf, the study also
makes a comparison between the existing immigration policies in EU countries and the Persian Gulf in
order to draw relevant policy perspectives. Evolving appropriate policy response in relation to low
skilled migration to Europe is also necessary given that a significant share of such workers end up as
irregular migrants in transit or at the destination.