In the last two weeks, the Nepali embassy has certified the documents of 340 workers coming through personal contacts

 

THE number of Nepali migrant workers coming to Qatar for employment through personal contact has increased significantly of late. Thanks to the new provision which has made it mandatory to get documents certified by the Nepal Embassy here to get a labour permit from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) in Nepal, job seekers have been increasingly making use of personal contact to secure employment. Earlier, the embassy used to certify hardly 100 employment contracts and visas annually. Now, it is processing such documents for 20 to 150 workers daily.

 

Many Nepalis working in Qatar, agents and companies demanding workers from Nepal used to send only visas and make fake documents in Nepal to get a labour permit from the DoFE which has put many workers at risk. In the last two weeks, the embassy has certified the documents of 340 workers coming through personal contact and eight individuals coming through the mediation of Nepali foreign employment agencies. The embassy stated that the work pressure of verifying documents had increased massively in the last couple of weeks. The department’s first quarter report on workers leaving for foreign employment shows that Qatar hired 28,900 workers who came individually. During the period, a total of 36,385 Nepalis came to Qatar to work. Following the implementation of documents certification provision, revenue collection by the embassy has also increased. It costs Rs 1,200 (60 riyal) for verification of an employment contract and visa for a person coming individually. For institutional certification, the embassy charges Rs 7,800 (390 riyal) in total.

 

The embassy had implemented document certification for job aspirants coming through personal contact since May 1 after holding consultation with the Nepali community in Qatar. However, the provision had not been implemented effectively for lack of coordination with the DoFE which issues the labour permit. “The embassy certifies the documents only after analysing worker demand and the conditions set,” said Surya Nath Mishra, Nepali ambassador to Qatar. “We are quite sure that this provision will put Nepali workers on the safe side.” The company demanding Nepali workers or its representative has to submit documents such as the worker’s entry visa, photocopy of the passport, employment contract verified by the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and the computer card of the hiring company for certification by the embassy. So far, the embassy has rejected 30 employment contracts of 10 various companies failing the certification procedure for not producing the required documents.