The government should explore new jobs markets beyond Malaysia and Gulf countries for competitive advantage, said labour expert Dr Chiranjivi Nepal.

 

According to Department of Foreign Employment, Gulf countries  Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates  and Malaysia are the major destinations hiring above 90 per cent of Nepali migrant workers since 200102. About 104,736 Nepalis had joined the job market in the fiscal year 2001-02 and the four countries had hired 102,246.

 

The situation has not changed till date; and Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Malaysia are hiring over 90 per cent of Nepalis migrant workers.

 

Last year, the four popular destinations had hired 324,452 workers from the total of 354,716 migrant workers. 

 

In the fiscal year 2010-11, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates hired 105,906; 102,966; 71,116 and 44,464 Nepalis respectively. 

 

Nepali foreign jobs markets have grown three times in the last one decade but there has been no changes in job quality, demand for workers and salary.

 

Nepali migrant workers are not getting salary more than $220 (Rs 16,000) in popular destinations as 71 per cent of Nepali migrant workers are still unskilled, some 29 per cent are semi-skilled and one per cent skilled. 

 

There are millions of jobs opportunities for semiskilled workers in Europe, North and South Americas, which don’t have excess, Nepal said, adding that the government needs to explore those market. “We just need to train our people to send to the new markets, where minimum monthly salary is above $ 800,” he added. 

There is a huge demand of agriculture workers in Eastern Europe, Brazil, Canada and many other countries. 

According to him, Nepal can send skilled and trained workers on specific field. 

 

“The government should come in front to diversify jobs markets and make them  more lucrative,” he said, adding that the Gulf markets can also offer more salary, if the government could send semi-skilled workers. 

Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) echoed Dr Nepal. 

 

“Its government’s duty to explore lucrative market and train workers,” president of the association Som Lal Bataju, said, adding that the association will support those initiative that benefits Nepalis. He urged the government to open training institutes in public-private partnership targeting the overseas job markets. “We at least aim to train 50,000 people before sending them to overseas works this year as a little investment for training will help to double their salary”, he added.

 

Unskilled Nepalis working in Gulf countries and Malaysia are earning around $220 per month, while average salary of a semi-skilled is around $350. Average monthly salary of a semiskilled worker in high-demand jobs stands at $400 in the Gulf countries and Malaysia.

 

The government feel maintaining safety of migrant workers more important than exploring new destinations. “We have no time to think on new market as safety of workers is key to us currently”, said executive director of Foreign Employment Promotion Board Sthaneshwor Devkota. If the government and private sector join hands in training the workers, their salary could increase fuelling the inflow of remittances.