Roshan Sedhai

Departure of Nepali migrant workers rose 18.27 percent in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, supported by increased hiring by major labour destinations like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

According to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), 283,970 Nepalis departed for overseas jobs over the period, against 240,096 in the same period last year.

Rapid infrastructure development in Qatar in the run up to the FIFA World Cup 2022 and prohibition by other countries on sending workers to low-paying destinations have been attributed for the rise in the number of outbound workers.

Qatar, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait are the top five destinations for Nepali migrant workers, according to the department. Except for Malaysia, departures to other four countries increased handsomely in first nine months.

The number of Nepali migrant workers leaving for Malaysia declined by around 23 percent due to the Malaysian government’s decision to stop issuing permits to new workers. “Apart from Malaysia, there has been a significant increment in the number of Nepali workers going to other countries,” said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, director general at the department.

The department’s data also show a whopping increment in the number of female workers leaving for overseas jobs. Over the review period, the figure rose 168.50 percent. Kuwait was the largest recruiter of Nepali women workers.

Increasing demand for Nepali housemaids has made Kuwait the fifth largest hirer of Nepali migrant workers, including both male and female. The provision of free visa and good pay has allured Nepali women to choose Kuwait over other countries. The UAE and Malaysia are the other two destinations where Nepali women are going.

Outsourcing agencies say the total number of outbound workers would have increased more had the government ensured availability of machine readable passports (MRP). “We would have sent more workers had the MRP issue been resolved,” said Somlal Bataju, former chairman of Nepal Foreign Employment Association.

Bataju expected a significant rise in the number in the upcoming months. “There was a halt in workers going to Malaysia for almost ten months,” said Bataju. “Now, with the Malaysian government deciding to issue new permits, we expect more demand from the country.”

Outsourcing agencies say they have already received demands for more than 10,000 workers from Malaysia.

Published on: 24 April 2012 | The Kathmandu Post