When recruitment corridors opened up following COVID-19 travel bans and lockdowns, many Indian migrants resumed their travel plans but hundreds were left stranded in the UAE amid fresh travel restrictions in December. Having flown to the UAE, hundreds of migrant workers to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were stuck after travel between the countries was banned.

By January hundreds had returned to their home countries after the airports reopened. In the meantime they had been dependent on communtiy gorups for shelter, food and the high cost of airfares. Buses were also arranged to take workers onwards to Saudi Arabia