Nepali blue-collar jobseekers’ migration to foreign job markets has increased by 13.63 per cent in Poush compared to previous month’s 18,784.

According to Department of Foreign Employment, about 21,749 Nepali workers left the country in the search of green pasture last month.

The period — mid-December to mid-January — witnessed a surprising increase in demand from a tiny Gulf nation, Kuwait that toppled Saudi Arabia and secured fourth place in hiring Nepali workers. Saudi Arabia used to be forth destination since March 2011.

Kuwait has hired 2,127 Nepali workers last month while Nepalis joining Saudi Arabian jobs touched just 2,013. 

Kuwait topped Saudi Arabia as outsourcing agencies stopped sending workers following dispute with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) approved medical centres for medical check up fee hike. “Hand written passport and medical dispute pulled the number of Nepali migrant workers down to Saudi jobs,” said general secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies Kumud Khanal.

“But we have no problems now,” he said, adding that Saudi will regain its spot next month.

According to the department, Qatar topped as the most preferred destination list hiring 7,193 workers followed by Malaysia (5,969) and the UAE (3,375). The Gulf region countries Bahrain and Oman hired 458 and 265 Nepali workers, respectively. 

Other countries hiring Nepali workers are Afghanistan (52), Jordan (52), Sychelese (16), Hong Kong (14), Germany (7), Cyprus (5) and Israel (3).

About 16 Nepalis have joined South Korean job under Employment Permit System.

Nepali joining foreign jobs through individual contact reduced significantly last month. The ratio of organisational and individual migration stood at 3:1 ration. Individual migration had topped organisational migration in first three months of the current fiscal year. Growing number of individual migrants has made the authorities as there are no authority to support them in difficult situations.

According to the department, some 1,788 Nepali women joined foreign jobs in Poush. Kuwait hired 1,144 Nepalis women migrant workers followed by UAE (387), Malaysia (81), Qatar (60), Bahrain (41) and Oman (14). About 10,679 Nepali women had joined foreign jobs in this fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the department has recorded 18,131 Nepali workers reentering in foreign job destinations. According to the data, 6,394 Nepalis have registered reentering Qatar followed by Saudi Arabia (5,430), the UAE (3,580), Malaysia (889), Bahrain (429) and Oman (209).

Thirty Nepali migrant workers have reentered Lebanon job market which is banned since 2010.

Published on: 26 January 2012 | The Himalayan Times