The number of migrant workers leaving for different countries in pursuit of jobs fell by 4.7 per cent in the fiscal 2017-18 as compared to the previous fiscal.

 

Owing to the diplomatic rift among Gulf nations, political stability and growth of entrepreneurship in Nepal, fewer Nepalis preferred foreign jobs in 2017-18, according to officials of the Department of Foreign Employment.

 

Statistics show that 612,685 Nepalis flew to Gulf nations for jobs in the fiscal 2017-18 against 642,859 Nepalis who booked their flights to those nations in 2016-17. The given figures include both migrant workers who have acquired new work permits and re-entry permission from the governments in the Gulf nations.

 

The number of migrant workers acquiring new work permits to Gulf nations also decreased by 7.6 per cent in 2017-18 compared to the previous year. While 354,082 Nepalis acquired work permits from DoFE in 2017-18, 383,493 Nepalis had received work permit from DoFE in 2016-17.

 

Malaysia remained the most attractive destination for migrant workers in 2017-18 with 104,209 workers travelling to the destination. However, Nepali migrant labourers have been barred from obtaining work permit to Malaysia for more than two months after the government closed Immigration Security Clearance and One Stop Centre for Nepali migrants. 

 

However, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security issued a statement today saying that those who had received work visas for Malaysia before May 16 could fly to the destination for work.