November 21: Young Nepali migrant workers facing physical, financial and mental exploitation during foreign employment is no longer a new issue for Nepal. Even though the rights activists are raising their voices that the problems faced by the workers should be addressed, the youths have been forced to visit foreign countries for employment due to government’s negligence. They are even found visiting countries with whom Nepal has not signed labour pacts.

Although it is considered mandatory to have a labor contract with the respective country before going for foreign employment, the government is unable to sign a labor contract with the employer country. But the process of workers entering those countries still continues unabated.

Those who have reached the leadership level of power have repeatedly assured that a labor agreement will be made with the employer country. However, labor contracts have not been signed with most of the labor destination countries chosen by Nepali youth for foreign employment. Officials of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security say that due to weak diplomatic initiatives, labor agreements have not been reached with most of the countries.

Due to the failure to reach a bilateral agreement at the government level with the major labour destination countries, a secure environment has not been created for Nepali workers.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, around 2,000 young people have been going abroad for foreign employment every day. As mentioned in the data of the Department  of Foreign Employment, most of them go to Gulf countries.

So far, the government has opened up 111 countries of the world for employment, but has signed labor agreements with only 10 countries. According to the ministry, so far labor agreements have been signed with Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Korea, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Malaysia, Mauritius and Oman.

Spokesperson at the Labour Ministry Danduraj Ghimire says that the ministry is always ready for labor agreements with the main labour destination countries. He said that the government has a plan to make foreign employment systematic, transparent and dignified by signing labor agreements with labour destination countries with good prospects.