Countries and companies which have traditionally relied on migrant workers from South Asia, particularly India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, are now exploring other alternatives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And as India battles with its second wave of COVID infections, companies have no option but to face project delays and disruptions for the time being.
There is not yet any conclusive data on just how badly the coronavirus has impacted migration in South Asia, which is one of the biggest hubs of migrant labor globally, but the few statistics that are available paint a stark picture. India and Bangladesh, two of biggest sending countries in the region, recorded a colossal dip in migration flow in 2020.