Despite thecurrent fiscal yearthe work permit provision, a nominal number of foreigners working here received employment permit from the Department of Labour (DoL) in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The department’s data show that only 170 foreign workers received work permit over the period against 197 in the same period last year. The status of work permit renewal is much more dismal. According to the department, only 91 foreigners renewed their permit during the mid-July-mid-November period compared to last year’s 150. “We are monitoring every sector where foreign workers are employed. Still, they are not serious to receive the employment permit. We can do nothing on this front,” said Man Bahadur BK, director general of the department. Department officials say the government’s carelessness in taking action against those working without work permit is the major reason behind foreign workers’ stark violation of the Labour Law. “Despite our effort, the number of foreigners receiving and renewing the permit has declined,” said Binod Adhikary, head of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Division (TULRD) at the department. The department had started monitoring foreigners working without work permit two months ago after most of the INGOs and NGOs gave a cold response to its request to disclose the status of foreigners working with them.

 

Although the department claims some 500 workers responded to its request, it is not reflected in its data. As a result of the massive noncompliance, the department dœs not have the exact number of foreigners working here. BK refused to give the details about the institutions monitored and blamed other government authorities for not helping it. “As other ministries and government authorities are not ready to back our monitoring effort, we can’t make larger impact on our own,” said BK. BK said they had requested the government not to issue visa to foreign workers until they acquire work permit from the department, but to no avail. “The Department of Immigration and Social Welfare Council have not been providing us with the total number of foreigners receiving visa and their status here. How could we bring the law violators to book in this condition? ,” said BK. As of Wednesday, only around 7,000 foreigners have acquired work permit, although several government and private sector organisations assume that more than 50,000 foreign nationals are working in Nepal at present.

 

Majority of them Chinese

 

A majority of foreigners acquiring work permit in first four months of the current fiscal year are Chinese nationals, according to the Department of Labour’s data. TULRD head Binod Adhikary said over 56 percent of foreigners receiving work permit are Chinese. “Around 95 Chinese working in the hydro power sector have received the permit,” said Adhikary. According to DoL, Indian professionals are second in the list. Rest are from countries including Pakistan, Japan, Germany, America and Uzbekistan, working in tourism, telecommunication, manufacturing and aviation sectors, among others.