The fourth Conference of the Protectors of Emigrants was held on 10 September, the day coinciding with the date of enactment of the Emigration Act, 1983, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed on Friday(10 Sept,2021). 

• Union Minister for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan delivered the Keynote Address.
• Observing that the nation has worked together to deal with the challenges of the pandemic, he stated that this is the right time to prepare for the opportunities that are ahead of us in a world that is cautiously returning to normalcy
• Protectors of Emigrants (POEs) should facilitate the emigration of blue-collared workers while providing the best possible protection and welfare.
• An MEA release said that POEs have an important role to play in informing our youth and workers about new destinations and opportunities, based on the MOU signed with UK on mobility and partnership.
• The MOC on specified skilled workers with Japan in 14 sectors; and the recent cabinet approval on skilled manpower mobility between India and Portugal. 

The Protectors of Emigrants (POEs) are responsible for granting emigration clearance to the intending emigrants as per the procedure prescribed under the Emigration Act, 1983. The Protectors of Emigrants shall perform the functions assigned to them by this Act under the general superintendence and control of the Protector General of Emigrants. Powers of Protector of Emigrants are:

• To protect and aid with his advice all intending emigrants and emigrants.

• Oversee all the provisions of this Act and of the rules made there under to be compiled with.

• Inspect, to an extent and in a manner as may be prescribed-any emigrant conveyance, or any other conveyance if he has reason to believe that any intending emigrant or emigrants are proceeding from, or returning to, India; to or from a place outside India by such other conveyance

• Inquire into the treatment received by emigrants during their voyage or journey to, and during the period of their residence in the country to which they emigrated and also during the return voyage or journey to India and report thereon to the Protector General of Emigrants or such other authority as may be prescribed.

. • Aid and advise, so far as he reasonably can, emigrants who have returned to India