Work conditions of interstate migrant workers in India: A critical realist exploration

Abstract The COVID‐19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns were flashpoints that exposed the vulnerabilities of low‐skilled interstate migrants that have persisted for years across the globe and demanded a critical examination of their work experiences and conditions. Unlike migrants who cross national borders for employment and economic reasons, internal migrants migrate within the country in search of better livelihood options. However, while the problems of low‐skilled immigrants who cross national borders attract research attention, the experiences of internal migrants have not been adequately researched. Using critical realism as a framework, we investigated the precarious working conditions of one of India's most vulnerable groups of workers—interstate migrant workers. Our findings showed that, despite short‐term positive outcomes, interstate migration does not guarantee freedom from poverty, precarity, or powerlessness. The conspicuous absence of formal opportunities to develop their potential reiterates their status as a marginalized, forgotten, and exploited group of workers, also neglected by human resource development (HRD) researchers. HRD has a critical role to play in the short term by providing skill training and in the long term by advocating for policy changes to ensure the well‐being and empowerment of migrant workers.