Number of Nepali workers leaving for foreign job destinations in the five months of the current fiscal year 2014/15 jumped by 24 percent compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year 2013/14. 

According to the data released by the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), a total of 225,977 Nepalis left the country for foreign employment in the review period. The number is 55,000 higher than the data of same period last fiscal year. Experts attribute the lack of job opportunities in the country to rising flow of youth to foreign job destinations. The data shows 53,354 people left the country for foreign employment in the last one month alone. 

Malaysia was the popular destination for Nepali workers in the review period. A total of 100,626 Nepalis went to Malaysia in the period, while Qatar, which hosted 51,799 Nepali workers, was the second most preferred job destination. Similarly, 36,378 Nepalis went to Saudi Arabia, 23,271 to UAE, 4,123 to Kuwait, 2,077 to South Korea, and 794 to Japan in the five-month period.

Officials of recruiting agencies say most of the workers prefer Malaysia as the value of Malaysian currency is stronger compared to the currencies of other Gulf countries. According to the foreign exchange rate fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank for Wednesday, 1 Malaysian Ringgit fetches Rs 29.02. "Though the service charge ceiling for Malaysia is higher compared to other Gulf countries, most of the workers choose this South East Asian nation. The major reason is the stronger Ringgit. Also the climate and weather of the country is relatively suitable for Nepalis compared to Gulf countries," Tank Raut, former president of Progressive Forum of Foreign Employment Agencies Nepal (PFFEAN), said. “Most of the jobs offered in Malaysia are of indoor type or in manufacturing companies which has also encouraged workers to choose this country.”

Though the government has set service charge limits of Rs 80,000 and Rs 70,000 Malaysia and Gulf countries, respectively, workers are forced to pay more than Rs 100,000 to go to Malaysia. Meanwhile, DoFE data shows that number of fraud cases in foreign employment is also on the rise. The DoFE registered a total of 1,224 cases of complaints over the five months with claims amounting to Rs 317.87 million. Among the total fraud complaints, 449 are from the individuals while remaining 775 are from different organizations. 

DoFE slapped a fine of Rs 100,000 on a recruiting firm in the review period while it restricted operation of 20 other firms.

Published on: 25 December 2014 | Republica