The local recruiting agencies have started working on demands for Nepali domestic workers from Jordanian clients, marking the official start to the placement of aspirant Nepali workers in the Arab kingdom. 

 

The development follows the labour agreement reached between Nepal and Jordan for sending Nepali migrant workers as housemaids . 

 

The Foreign Employment Office (FEO), Kathmandu has issued 401 preliminary 

 

work permits to various recruiting companies for sending Nepali workers as housemaids in Jordan.

 

According to the FEO acting chief Prem Deshar, the office has issued preliminary labour permits to four recruiting agencies--Earth Vision Manpower Services, Bhairab International Services, BB and M International and Global Alliance Consultancy Services. The Earth Vision has received the permit for 101 workers, while the other firms have got 100 each. 

 

Following the Labour Ministry’s directive on March 6, the FEO implemented the labour agreement between the two countries. “We have already signed the agreement with Jordan. Now, we have to start sending workers there under the agreement. The FEO has been instructed to proceed accordingly,” ministry Spokesperson Bhuwan Prasad Acharya said.

 

Nepal had signed a bilateral labour agreement with Jordan last October, opening up employment opportunities for both general workers and housemaids in the Arab state. 

 

Subsequently, the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) issued the operational licence to 23 recruiting agencies for sending domestic helps to Jordan last January. 

 

The third amendment to the government’s ‘Directives for Housemaids’ in April 2016 had banned Nepali girls/women from taking up jobs as domestic help in countries without a bilateral labour agreement. The preliminary labour permits will only be applicable to housemaids in Jordan. “We have issued the preliminary labour permits as per demands of recruiting agencies. Now, they will be publishing advertisements in national dailies for hiring workers,” Deshar explained. “We will issue the final work permit only after the employers select the workers through interview and arrange visa for their travel to Jordan.” 

 

As per the bilateral labour accord, the minimum salary of the general workers and domestic workers will be $200 and $300 respectively. Jordan, which already hosts nearly 5,000 Nepalis, has high demands for Nepali women workers, especially in the garment industry. With the labour deal in place between the two countries, Nepali women can  also apply for jobs in the domestic sector.

 

The agreement, hailed as a landmark deal by the Nepali government for including various provisions regarding rights, facilities, protection of Nepali migrant workers and hiring process, also states that the workers will get 14 days of annual leave and 14 days of sick leave. The fixed working hours and assurance from the Jordanian government that the employers will not hold workers’ passports are other noteworthy provisions in the agreement.