Migrant Workers
How dismantling an old registration system could help China's economy—and why it will be expensive
Stripping away an outdated system that’s unfair to those classified as rural residents could provide equitable access to welfare benefits for rural and urban workers, but finding the money to do it will be tough. Yet, it’s just what the Chinese economy needs.
3 min read1 Jun 2026Taiwan election candidate Lee Hung-yi's billboard showing turbaned man, upside-down Indian flag sparks backlash
Lee Hung-yi's campaign billboard featuring a turbaned man and an inverted Indian flag has sparked backlash, reflecting opposition to Taiwan's policy on Indian migrant workers. Critics claim it promotes racial discrimination, amid debates about safety concerns related to Indian workers in Taiwan.
2 min read19 May 2026Outsourcing house chores is the new and easy norm, but is it burning a hole in your pocket?
App-based domestic help platforms promise reliability and ease. But as promo prices fade and surge fees kick in, urban users are rethinking whether the convenience justifies the rising monthly bill.
5 min read13 May 2026Instant help services face scalability test amid worker shortages in peak summer period
Seasonal migration and slow workforce formalisation are straining on-demand maid services, leaving platforms struggling to match surging urban demand during peak periods.
4 min read5 May 2026Centre doubles daily allocation of 5-kg FTL gas cylinders — How to get a Chhotu LPG cylinder without address proof?
According to the government's directive, the enhanced allocation will be strictly reserved for supplying migrant labourers. The additional supply will be calculated based on the average daily supply recorded on March 2-3, and it will sit over and above the existing 20% ceiling prescribed in March.
1 min read7 Apr 2026Does Japan have a “foreigner problem”?
Yes—but it is not what populist politicians say it is
3 min read11 Mar 2026India needs a national migration policy, not election-season rhetoric
Internal migration in India has surged over the past two decades, quietly reshaping labour markets and state economies. Yet politics remains fixated on cross-border narratives. It’s time for a national migration policy grounded in clear data analysis and economic reality.
4 min read22 Feb 2026In the spotlight: Art practices rooted in the land and its people
The work of an increasing number of artists is informed by the complexities of the land, habitation, labour and migration
8 min read7 Feb 2026North Indians clean tables, sell pani puri due to Hindi-only education, says TN minister Panneerselvam; DMK defends him
The state agriculture minister said that people from North India come to the South to ‘clean tables and sell pani puri’ because of their only-Hindi education.
2 min read5 Feb 2026Can pensioners rescue China’s economy?
The government is stingy and timid when it comes to retirement benefits Save
6 min read5 Dec 2025Wait for it…
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