State Government Focuses on Country-Specific Skill Passports, Updated Training and Safe Recruitment: CM Devendra Fadnavis
Mumbai, September 2026: Maharashtra is equipping its youth with skills and language training to prepare them for international employment opportunities in line with changing global workforce requirements. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed officials to prepare country-specific ‘skill passports’ based on the demand for skilled manpower in different countries and to update curricula at Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and other training institutions.
He also directed the development of a safe and secure recruitment system for overseas employment under the Global Workforce Mobility Policy 2026 for Maharashtra.
Fadnavis was speaking at a high-level one-day conference on international labour mobility held at Sahyadri Guest House. The conference was jointly organised by the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA), the Protocol Department, the Department of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Maharashtra Agency for Holistic International Mobility and Advancement (MAHIMA).
Agreements with 28 Countries on Labour Mobility
Fadnavis said changing demographics and increasing ageing populations across the world were driving a significant rise in demand for skilled manpower. Given India’s large young workforce, there was a need to effectively align its skills with global requirements.
He said this would further strengthen the concept of ‘circular mobility of talent’, with Maharashtra expected to play an important role in this field.
India has entered into labour mobility-related agreements with around 28 countries, where there is significant demand for skilled manpower in engineering, healthcare, construction and various technical sectors.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, around 170 million new jobs are expected to be created globally by 2030, while around 92 million jobs are projected to be displaced. Against this backdrop, Maharashtra will take the lead in the field of international workforce mobility, the Chief Minister said.
Fadnavis directed officials to use the experience of recruitment agencies to communicate the manpower requirements of different countries to training institutions. He also called for a blended approach combining traditional training with digital and in-person programmes.
For online language training, he directed the use of defined training periods, minimum assessments and digital translation and interpretation tools.
The state government’s policy draft prioritises skill development, training aligned with global demand, language training, certification, assistance with documentation and pre-departure guidance. The government will also focus on connecting skilled workers returning from abroad with industries in Maharashtra, Fadnavis said.
MoU Signed for Language Training of Youth
An MoU has been signed between the Centre’s Digital India Bhashini, MITRA and MAHIMA to facilitate overseas employment opportunities for young people from Maharashtra and help overcome language barriers.
Through translation technology, candidates will receive free and accessible training in foreign languages as well as languages relevant to specific occupations and businesses. Students of Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnics will benefit from the pilot project.
Protocol Minister Jaykumar Rawal said international labour mobility was not merely a process of manpower migration but an economic partnership connecting skills, investment, the Indian diaspora and global markets.
He said Maharashtra would connect its talent with global opportunities by coordinating the network of foreign consulates in Mumbai with industries, universities and skill development institutions.
Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the government was focusing not only on skills and language training required for global employment but also on enabling students to adapt to the local culture of the countries where they would work.
Workers travelling abroad would also serve as ambassadors strengthening ties between Maharashtra and the respective countries, Lodha said.
Germany’s Consul General Christoph Hellier, Japan’s Sato Hitomi, France’s Patrick Livarino, Russia’s Yvon Petisov, the United Kingdom’s John Nickell, MITRA Vice-President Rajesh Kshirsagar, Chief Executive Officer Pravin Pardeshi, Additional Chief Secretary of the Union Ministry of Skill Development Niranjan Kumar Sudhanshu, National Skill Development Board Chief Executive Officer Arunkumar Pillai, Commissioner Dr Amit Saini, Protocol Department Secretary Rajesh Gawande, MITRA Joint Secretary Aman Mittal and representatives of international employment organisations were present at the conference.
