The government has started sending 300 workers as caregivers to Israel through government-to-government channel.

On the recommendation of Labour Secretary Suresh Man Shrestha, a Cabinet meeting on Monday had appointed director general of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) as government’s service officer to oversee the overall recruitment process.

The department is preparing to set up a separate section and develop a mechanism for free and fair recruitment.

Israel, which had stopped recruiting Nepali caregivers citing increasing cases of fraud, is reopening its labour market for Nepali workers after Nepal agreed to send job-seekers through state-to-state channel.

Israel had halted accepting Nepali workers after the recruiting agents based in Nepal and Israel reportedly charged exorbitant fees. Workers used to pay as high as Rs 1 million to go to the Middle East.

According to government officials, Israel is ready to accept over 1,000 Nepali caregivers a year if the new state-to-state mechanism works miracles.

Although Nepal has been sending workers to South Korea through state-to-state mechanism, this is the first time the same process is going to be replicated in Israel’s case.

Israel is considered to be one of the most sought-after labour destination for Nepali women due to worker-friendly laws, good wages and work security.

Published on: 13 March 2013 |The Kathmandu Post