The number of Indian nurses getting emigration clearance for overseas jobs has fallen sharply, by about 30% between 2023 and 2025.
| Year | All India | From Kerala | Kerala share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 16,594 | 9,980 | ~60% |
| 2024 | 14,584 | 8,572 | ~59% |
| 2025 | 11,581 | 6,393 | ~55% |
Why the drop?
- Gulf nationalisation. Gulf countries are pushing to employ their own citizens, including in healthcare.
- Tighter rules elsewhere, such as stricter licensing and new document requirements. Kuwait, for example, now requires criminal record checks and MOH-format experience letters.
Kerala still leads
Kerala has about 3.79 lakh registered nurses and midwives, the third-highest in India after Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Even so, Malayali nurses still make up more than half of all emigration clearances.
Planning to go abroad?
Demand is still strong in specialities such as ICU, emergency, theatre and dialysis. Check the latest rules in our guides: Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and verification through the Indian Nursing Council.
Source: Onmanorama (22 July 2026). Kerala share calculated from the reported figures.