In a bid to minimize manipulation of documents by manpower agencies, the government has granted Nepali embassies in United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia direct access to the documents processed by the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE).

The DoFE - the final authority to grant permit to Nepali workers for foreign employment -- on Sunday provided the two missions access to its electronic database. With this, the number of Nepali mission with online access to DoFE´s database has reached seven.

The department has already given such access to Nepali missions in Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar, South Korea and India. These seven countries receive more than 95 percent of Nepalis leaving for overseas destinations through formal channel.

“These linkages would greatly minimize fraudulent documentation by manpower agencies in major job destinations,” said Purna Chandra Bhattarai, director general at the DoFE. “If officials at these diplomatic missions have any doubt on the authenticity of the documents, they can clear their doubts by checking our database.”

The documents stored in the database include details of prior approval and final approval of work permits, contract letters, details of job offers and other supporting documents submitted by manpower agencies.

Bhattarai said submission of fake documents relating to employer companies, salary status, demand for workers, labor contracts, nature of works in labor destinations by manpower agencies to secure work permits is the major problems that DoFE has been facing at the moment.

UAE remuneration enforced

The DoFE has started implementing the minimum salary for workers in the UAE that the government recently enforced.

“From Sunday onwards, agencies applying for work permit for the UAE has to submit documents that promises salary for workers in line with the minimum salary enforced by the government,” said Bhattarai.

The government fixed minimum salary for Nepali workers heading to the UAE a couple of days ago.

As per the fresh hike, unskilled and semi-skilled Nepali workers in the UAE will get at least 1100 Dirham (including 300 Dirham food allowance) and 1300 Dirham (including 300 Dirham food allowance) per month, respectively.

Similarly, the government has set minimum salary for skilled and high-skilled workers at 1500 Dirham (including 300 Dirham food allowance) and 5500 Dirham (including 500 Dirham food allowance), respectively.

The previous minimum salary for Nepali workers in the UAE was 900 Dirham (including 300 Dirham food allowance).

Published On: 5 November 2012 | Republica