Worker migration fell by 25.65 per cent in Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) due to the festive season. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, about 34,990 Nepalis — 23,652 new workers, 1,965 legalised and 9,373 reentrants — joined foreign jobs last month. 

Worker migration drops during Dashain and Tihar every year. It had fallen by almost the same percentage in the festive season of fiscal year 2011-12. 

The month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) witnessed a major shift in top hiring destinations list. Malaysia regained its top position after one and a half years, hiring about 9,519 Nepali workers. Qatar, which had been the top destination since May 2011, slid to the second position with 7,607 workers, followed by the United Arab Emirates (7,406), Saudi Arabia (7,035) and Kuwait (1,167). 

Other major destinations were Oman and Bahrain, which hired 407 and 307 workers respectively. South Korea hired 248 Nepalis including 16 women through the Employment Permit System. 

The fall in worker migration also affected women’s migration. About 2,001 Nepali women joined foreign jobs in Kartik, as compared to 2,781 a month back. According to the department, UAE hired 1,039 women, followed by Malaysia (376), Kuwait (341) and Oman (117). 

The declining trend of worker migration through individual contacts continued in Kartik and only 1,328 Nepalis joined through individual contacts. The government has been discoursing individual migration because of concerns over the safety of workers. 

Individual workers are more prone to abuse and exploitation. The caretaker government led by Dr Baburam Bhattarai’s inefficiency has forced the youth to Gulf and Malaysia in search of greener pasture.

The economy is floating on remittance sent by the youths but the industrial sector and agriculture sector are witnessing human resource crunch due to lack of labourers back home. The people’s growing mistrust on incumbent government and its policy have been fuelling the migration, according to labour expert Dr Chiranjivi Nepal.

Though, the festive season has pulled the number of migrant workers down, it will again increase as the government has failed to bring budget and encourage private sector to create employment back home, Nepal said, adding that it will hit the economy in long term.

Published on: 23 November 2012 | The Himalayan Times