The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has moved forward the opening of the listing process for health institutions — either government-approved or government-owned — willing to conduct medical examinations for workers seeking foreign employment. The ministerial-level decision was made on Tuesday, March 31.
According to the state-owned RSS news agency, currently 194 health institutions hold licences to carry out health tests for aspiring migrant workers under the ministry’s standards
The Foreign Employment Act, 2007, mandates that every worker going abroad to undergo a medical examination at a health institution approved by the government. Similarly, the Foreign Employment Rules, 2008, allow the government to conduct health examinations through its own institutions.
The initiative is expected to break up a long-standing health screening syndicate. “Attempts have been made before,” said Jeevan Baniya, Deputy Director of Social Science Baha, adding, “When our institutions will manage these services, they will become decentralised and more accessible to aspiring workers.”
However, Baniya also raised concerns about quality, pointing out cases where migrant workers pass medical tests in Nepal but fail similar examinations in their destination countries. “Such countries expect proper health checks, so we must prioritise quality and monitoring,” he said.
The health screening reform is part of a broader set of changes introduced by the new government. The administration has already ended the token system for foreign employment work permits, allowing approvals to be issued on the day of application. Previously, work permits were granted only on designated days after obtaining a token.
The government has also decided to digitise pre-departure orientation training, developing audiovisual materials based on the curriculum and making them available online. The orientation itself is set to be fully accessible through digital platforms, reducing procedural hassles for workers.
“Improving governance and public service delivery are the areas where the new governmnet can make the most impact,” Baniya added.
