The International Labour Organization (ILO), through the EU-India Cooperation and Dialogue on Migration and Mobility (CDMM-II) Project, hosted the "Linking India-EU Mobility Opportunities with Telangana" State Engagement Workshop in Hyderabad on 20 May 2026.
The workshop was organised in partnership with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), and the Telangana Overseas Manpower Company (TOMCOM), with support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, the Government of Telangana, and the European Union.
Bringing together representatives from government, international organisations, academia, skilling institutions, and recruitment agencies, the event served as a platform to strengthen dialogue on safe and regular labour mobility between Telangana and European Union Member States.
The keynote address was delivered by Vivek Venkat Swamy, Minister of Labour, Employment, Training & Factories, Mines and Geology, Government of Telangana. The programme also included remarks from Hari Chandana Dasari, IAS, Secretary to Government, Labour, Employment, Training & Factories Department, Government of Telangana; Abhijit Chakraborty, Joint Secretary, ICWA; Adarsh Kumar Mishra, Under Secretary, Emigration Policy & Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs; J. Snehaja, IFS, Head of MEA Branch Secretariat and Regional Passport Officer, Hyderabad; and Veronika Liskova, First Secretary, Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan.
Representatives from partner organisations also shared updates on initiatives supporting safe, orderly, and regular migration, while highlighting efforts to strengthen international labour mobility pathways.
Key themes discussed during the workshop included:
- Strengthening awareness of legal and safe mobility pathways to Europe, including TOMCOM's role in facilitating ethical overseas employment, providing access to country-specific opportunities in EU Member States, and connecting job seekers with reliable labour market information.
- Bridging the gap between youth aspirations and international labour market opportunities through improved access to verified employment opportunities, migration resources, knowledge products, and platforms linking job seekers with employers.
- Promoting awareness of the risks associated with irregular migration and fraudulent recruitment practices, while encouraging the use of registered recruitment agencies, verified information sources, and legal migration channels.
- Enhancing understanding of migration-related government procedures, including passport, attestation, and documentation requirements.
- Building awareness of Schengen visa application procedures and short-stay mobility frameworks and strengthening pre-departure preparedness through structured orientation programmes and awareness resources, including the PDOT Handbook for Europe, to equip prospective migrants with knowledge of their rights, responsibilities, potential risks, destination-country expectations, and available support mechanisms.
