one of the major markets for Nepali foreign job seekers — has assured that it will end the dual contract system when hiring Nepali workers. The provision was included in a 15-point labour contract signed between Nepal and Qatar earlier this week. 

The major achievement of the agreement is ending dual labour contracts, said joint secretary at ministry of labour and employment Buddi Bahadur Khadka. “Qatar has committed to help end the use of dual contract papers while hiring Nepali workers,” he said, adding that the dual contract papers is the major technique used to deceive migrant workers. 

According to the agreement, the Qatari Ministry of Labour will tally the demand letter with the document verified by the Nepali embassy or Qatari Chamber of Commerce to reduce dual contract cases. 

“The ministry will blacklist a company if its demand letter is found to be fake or the company has engaged in issuing dual contract papers,” said Khadka. 

Nepali outsourcing agencies have been submitting fake job contracts to get foreign job permission. The job contracts usually do not match with the actual job paper given to workers. 

Similarly, Qatar has urged Nepal to send trained workers. “They have asked for high-skilled workers,” he said, adding that Qatari employers want more Nepali workers because of their hard work and honesty. 

The Qatari government is planning to hold talks with Nepali and Qatari recruiting agencies to make the recruitment process swift. As per the agreement, the Qatari Department of Investigation and Monitoring has consented to rescue workers who are put to work forcefully despite the expiry of the work contract and will punish the concerned employers. 

The Nepali mission in Qatar has been receiving around 50 complaints everyday about workers being barred from returning home despite the expiry of their work contract. 

However, Nepal and Qatar did not discuss on sending housemaids through organised channels, citing lack of preparation and absence of consent from Qatari line ministries.

About 600,000 Nepalis are believed to be working in Qatar in contract jobs in construction, manufacturing and service sectors. The destination has been hiring thousands of migrant workers every month to construct large infrastructure projects related to the World Cup Football 2022.

According to Department of Foreign Employment, Qatar has hired 79,183 Nepalis in first 11 months of current fiscal year.

Published on: 5 July 2013 | The Himalayan Times