Nepali migrant workers joining overseas jobs through individual contract has doubled in the last ten months increasing challenge to the government to channelise remittance in the formal sector and rescue them in emergencies.

According to the Department of Foreign Employment, “of 2,69,540 Nepalis joining overseas employment in last ten months, some 71,499 joined through individual contract. Gulf countries  Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE  are major hiring countries through individual contract. In Baisak (mid-April to mid-May), Qatar has hired largest number of Nepali workers 6,521 through individual contract followed by the UAE (1,797), Kuwait (866), Saudi Arabia (450) and Oman (192). Among major destinations, Malaysia has hired only 16 Nepalis through individual contract during the period. “The trend is not good,“ said labour expert Dr Chiranjivi Nepal. “It reflects strategic weaknesses of Nepali foreign employment policy,“ he said, adding that increasing trend of individual contracts is the failure of existing Foreign Employment Act 2007 and Regulation governed by the law.

Nepal suggested the government to scrap current foreign employment policy and give priority to institutional migration “If Nepal could not instutionalise migration, it will affect the economy and welfare activities as well,“ he said. The government should explore why remittance inflow has been less than the previous fiscal year, though number of Nepali migrant workers going abroad has seen a whopping rise.

“It is due to individual migration that is also promoting unofficial channels, he added. According to the department, Nepalis joining overseas job jumped to 10,454 in Baisak (mid-April to mid-May) from 5,697 in Sawan (mid-July to mid-August) last year.

Nepalis migrating for overseas job stood at 2,29,582 in the first ten month of fiscal year 2009-10, which has increased by 39,958 this fiscal year. However, remittance increment has slowed down in the last two years. According to the last eight months report of Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepal has received 12.3 per cent more remittance -to Rs 162 billion -than the same period last fiscal year.

“If Nepalis face the situation like in Libya, in other destinations like Malaysia and Gulf countries, it will be a difficult for government to rescue as most of the migrants have joined through individual contracts.

Authorities associated to the foreign employment sector agreed him. “We have experienced many challenges in foreign employment in recent past,“ director general of the department Chandra Man Shrestha said. The department has also proposed amendment in the Foreign Employment Act and Regulation to discourage individual contracts and make outsourcers responsible.

Published on: 25 May 2011 | The Himalayan Times