August 14: More than 18,000 foreigners are currently working in Nepal by acquiring labour permits. The number of foreigners visiting Nepal for formal employment is increasing in recent years, according to the Department of Labour and Occupational Safety.  

The department informed that a total of 18,239 foreigners have acquired labour permits to work in Nepal so far. Among them, 16,044 are male and 2,195 are female.

During the last fiscal year, the department issued labour permits to 2,181 foreigners. Among them, 950 had taken new permits while the remaining 1231 had renewed their work permits.

Most of the foreigners visiting Nepal for employment are from China. A total of 1,629 Chinese nationals were issued labour permits to work in Nepal during the last fiscal year (mid-July 2021 to mid-July 2022).

During the same period, altogether 106 people from the UK were issued labour permits to work in Nepal while 86 from the USA, 61 from Japan and 57 from India were also issued labour permits.

Meanwhile, a total of 886 foreigners have acquired labour permits in the first three months of the current fiscal year including 196 in the first month, 360 in the second month and 327 in the third month.

In the meantime, a parliamentary committee has shown concern regarding the employment of foreign nationals in Nepali industries. The Industry and Commerce and Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee of the federal parliament, after holding discussion with Labour Minister Sher Bahadur Kunwar, has issued a directive to the government to give priority to Nepali labourers and employ foreign nationals in the labour market only if it is absolutely necessary.