Thiruvananthapuram: Establishments and agencies bringing guest workers (migrant workers) to Kerala will now have to bear higher costs, as the state labour department has increased both the registration fee for workers and the license fee for involving them in work. The hike ranges from Rs 15 to Rs 300.

The charges, which have been in place since 2013, have now been revised. The labour department clarified that no other fees besides the fixed ones will be collected from employers.

Registration of migrant workers

Kerala remains the first state in India to make registration mandatory for migrant workers. However, registration or licensing is not compulsory for those involving fewer than five workers.

The registration and licensing fees are determined based on the number of workers employed. A caution deposit (refundable) of Rs 2,300 per worker needs to be paid.

Due to the increasing influx of migrant workers into the state, the government had earlier decided to enhance tracking mechanisms. This include the development of a mobile application to facilitate registration. Despite these efforts, the government still lacks precise data on the total number of migrant workers in Kerala.