In a move quantifying India’s position on the employment of foreign workers on Indian projects, the government has said that only one highly-skilled foreign professional will be permitted for every 100 local or Indian labourers.

The decision to limit foreign workers comes against the backdrop of concerns within the government and industry about tens of thousands of Chinese working in India, many without required documentation for employment.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoL&E) has said that no company will be permitted to bring any unskilled, semi-skilled or skilled persons from overseas. “Highly skilled (persons) and professionals may be granted employment visas to the extent of 1 per cent of the total persons employed,” said an office memorandum issued by the ministry in September.

“The policy is still in force, no questions,” a ministry official told The Indian Express, adding that enforcement was up to states and Home Affairs. “We do not have the machinery for enforcement,” the official added.

The government has acknowledged that the decision to send thousands of Chinese workers packing has resulted in delays in infrastructure projects.

In Haryana, progress of the 1,200 MW Rajiv Gandhi Thermal Power Station has been put on hold due to a “problem in visa for Chinese experts”, according to a document placed in Parliament Friday by Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde.

Reliance Power’s Hissar project that sourced parts from Shanghai Electric has employed only a limited number of Chinese experts for assembling of parts. The project includes no labourers, said Reliance executives.

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