Outsourcers take responsible steps lately
"Latest developments have shown positive changes towards safe migration and welfare of migrants"
Outsourcing agencies and their agents have become more responsible towards clients — migrant workers.
Latest developments in foreign employment sector have shown positive changes towards safe migration and welfare of migrant workers. Outsourcing agencies have planned to establish a welfare fund to support victims of foreign employment and agents have developed a code of conduct.
“We will establish a fund to support migrant workers,” said president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies Bal Bahadur Tamang. Outsourcing agencies have to contribute Rs 500 to the fund for each migrant that it sends for a foreign job. The fund will be used if any migrant worker loses their life at the workplace or returns home due to exploitation.
According to the fund’s policy, it will provide support of up to Rs 200,000 in both cases — death or accident. Early returnees will also get compensation but it will be based on circumstances. We are developing the criteria to calculate the amount, Tamang added.
The Foreign Employment Promotion Board has been offering support to documented workers — migrant workers who have joined foreign employment through government procedures and contributed Rs 1,500 to the welfare fund — since the last three years. The board has been providing funds of up to Rs 100,000 for medical purposes and Rs 150,000 in case of death of a migrant worker.
The board does not have other support programmes as well as social security programmes. Last year, it had planned to provide scholarships to children of migrant workers who have lost their lives but the plan could not materialise due to the non supportive behaviour of the Department of Education.
Similarly, Nepal Outsourcer Agent Association has also developed a code of conduct to reduce fraud. “We are making agents responsible towards their clients. Every agent must follow our code of conduct,” said president of the association Khadag Bahadur Shrestha. Agents have also decided to give about Rs 15,000 compensation for victims of foreign employment. There is a certain procedure for that, he added.
About 1,111 fraud cases worth about Rs 630.46 million have been registered at Department of Foreign Employment in last six months. Two-thirds of the fraud were committed by agents spread across the country.
Published on: 31 January 2013 | The Himalayan Times
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