The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) is mulling over outsourcing document processing works related to the issuance of final labour permits to Nepalis seeking job placements abroad, in a bid to curb corruption at the government body that has a final say on whether applicants can leave the country for employment purpose.

“We have already informed the Ministry of Labour and Employment about our plan. We will come up with details on how to proceed ahead with the task if the proposal is accepted,” DoFE director-general Binod KC said.

The department is planning to hand over the job of document processing to the private sector after it was found that many manpower companies were extending bribes to DoFE officials during the process of getting the final labour permit, without which workers seeking job opportunities abroad cannot leave the country.

“Yes, kickbacks are essential if manpower agencies want to expedite the work of getting final labour permits,” a reliable source at the DoFE told The Himalayan Times. “If the government is able to actually outsource this work then the level of corruption would go down at the DoFE.”

Some days ago, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority had arrested 17 DoFE officials on charges of corruption. The arrests were made after the CIAA found that 77 individuals were extended final permission on the basis of forged documents provided by licensed manpower agencies. Later, the CIAA had also arrested four proprietors of three manpower companies on charges of abetting 17 DoFE employees.

The department currently issues an average of around 1,500 final labour permits per day. The process involves tallying and compiling information like names of employees and employers, job descriptions and salary, among others. Since manpower companies apply for final labour permits on behalf of workers, it is said: “cash incentives are given to DoFE officials to get the work done quickly”.

“Once this task is outsourced, the firm that is chosen through the bidding process will be responsible for all the works related to document processing,” KC said, adding, the appointment of the private firm will also enhance efficiency level as it would be asked to clear workload received on the same day.

Around 1,200 Nepalis head towards various international labour destinations, mostly to Gulf countries and Malaysia, per day. In the first month of the current fiscal year alone, 45,937 Nepalis left the country for employment purposes, while over 450,000 job aspirants accepted job placements in various countries in the last fiscal year.

Published on: 6 September 2013 | The Himalayan Times