About 278‚025 Nepalis joined foreign jobs in last six months‚ said director general of Department of Foreign Employment Purnachandra Bhattarai. Data from the department reveals 187‚185 new foreign job aspirants and 77‚820 reentrants left for over four dozen destinations during the period. 

 

Similarly‚ 13‚020 migrant workers who were once illegal came into the formal migration channel in the last four months. The department had started the legalisation process in Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) to provide safe migration benefit to workers.

 

The Foreign Employment Promotion Board has been providing relief packages to documented migrant workers. It has been providing financial help of up to Rs 100‚000 for accidents or illness‚ as well as Rs 150‚000 to families of migrant workers who have lost their lives. 

 

According to the department‚ Malaysia is the top hiring destination. The destination provided job opportunities to 84‚287 migrant workers — 77‚988 new entrants‚ 5‚630 reentrants and 656 workers who came into the formal channel during the period. Saudi Arabia was in second place offering jobs to 65‚289 migrant workers‚ followed by Qatar (63‚426) and the United Arab Emirates (23‚657).

 

Other popular destinations in the last six months were Kuwait (5‚861)‚ South Korea (1‚499)‚ Bahrain (1‚357)‚ Japan (364) and Jordan (218). All countries‚ except South Korea hired workers through outsourcing agencies. South Korea has been hiring Nepalis under the Employment Permit System operated by the government. 

 

Women migration has also followed the overall migration trend. About 14‚667 Nepali women migrant workers joined foreign jobs in the last six months‚ while the number was 10‚716 last year. Gulf countries were the major job destinations for women migrant workers.