Naresh, of Sunsari, has been working at Dyn Corps International, an American company in Afghanistan, for almost three years, despite lacking any legal document for work. Naresh left for employment in the Middle East via the Kathmandu-India-Dubai route and, surprisingly, entered Afghanistan on an airbus chartered by the US Army from Dubai. Even then, he had no visa.

Naresh, who is currently in Kathmandu for Dashain, wants to go back to Afganistan with a work permit from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) under the recent “legalisation scheme” of the government. This scheme aims to provide work permits to thousands of migrants working illegally in Afghanistan so that the government can keep better records of Nepali workers there. However, the department will issue work permits only to those working in the Afghan “green zone” and a new problem has already surfaced.

The new scheme has made it mandatory for workers to produce visas before being granted the work permit. But since most workers are directly taken to Afghanistan via Dubai by employment companies in chartered flights, they never need a visa. Hence, most workers applying for the permit don’t have visas. “I don’t have a visa but I must go back anyway. If they don’t accept my documents and identity card, I will have to take another route,” said Naresh.

It is understandable for migrant workers who have already tasted the riches of foreign employment to want to return to their jobs, no matter how gruelling they are. Naresh earns Rs 200,000 a month as a fuel operator in the US Army camp. “I cannot lose my job even if the department denies me the permit. I will take the same route that I took earlier,” he said.

Suman, of Itahara VDC in Morang, echoes Naresh. Suman, who is also home for Dashain, will return to work on Saturday. “It looks like I need to resort to setting to fly back to work,” he said. As a billeting coordinator at the Etco company, Suman claimed he earns Rs 250,000 a month. “The entire salary goes to my savings. It’s a highly secure place,” he said.

Another worker, Ritesh, who also works for Dyn Corps International, estimated that around 200 Nepalis returned home for Dashain. “There are around 15,000 Nepalis in my company alone and most of them are willing to work legally if the government provides work permits upon the submission of an identity card and work documents,” he said.

However, officials at the DoFE have said they are preparing to issue permits to those who are able to produce original identity cards and documents proving their affiliation to particular companies. “We did not anticipate such cases,” said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, director general of the DoFE. “We have only been discussing with stakeholders such as immigration.”

Despite strict regulations, the government has opened up Afghanistan for migrant workers, depending on the safety and security of their work. An estimated 40,000 Nepalis are currently employed in relatively safe works in Afghanistan. DoFE records show that 823 documented migrant workers left the country for Afghanistan last fiscal year.

Despite potential security threats, the war-ravaged country has been one of the most sought after labour destinations given the lucrative salary in security camps, foreign missions and commissions. Returnee migrant workers claimed their salary ranges from a minimum of Rs 80,000 ($927) to a maximum of Rs 850,000 ($10,000) a month, depending on the nature of the work.

(Names have been changed to protect the identity of the workers)

Published on: 31 October 2012 | The Kathmandu Post