In a respite to Malaysia-bound Nepali migrant workers, who have not been able to go there despite starting the visa processing because of the government ban, they have been allowed to leave for Malaysia. 

The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has decided to issue labour-permit to those Nepali workers who had begun their visa processing before the government banned various agencies that levied exorbitant fees on Nepali workers.

Government crackdown on those agencies, involved in illegally collecting fees on various topics from Nepali workers, had temporarily closed down Nepali workers from going Malaysia since May.

Now the government has eased its ban on Malaysia-bound workers to allow them to take up jobs as they had already paid for the visa processing services.

Kathmandu Foreign Employment Office (FEO) Chief Bhabishwor Pandey said the Ministry of Labour has permitted workers with valid visa to travel to Malaysia.

“The ministry has decided to give them work-permit for Malaysia as they have already received their calling visa. The work-permit will be issued after checking the receipt of fees they have paid during visa processing phase,” said Pandey.

Workers who did their visa processing work up to May 16 can apply to the FEO to obtain the final work permit.

This is the second such move of the Labour Ministry since the departure of migrant workers to Malaysia stopped following the government decision to suspend rogue agencies on May 17.

On July 22, the ministry eased restriction on workers who had not been able to reach Malaysia even after obtaining work visa as the final labour permit was stopped.

According to Labour Ministry estimates, there were at least 453 Nepali workers with Malaysia visa stamped on their passports before the government action and yet could not go. Nearly 300 of them came to receive the final labour-permit, said Pandey.

“Visa of some workers had already expired so the number of workers, with visa stamped, who came for the final permit was low,” said Pandey.

Published on: 20 August 2018 | The Kathmandu Post