December 22: Nepal’s Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and Safer Migration Programme (SaMI) jointly launched the ‘Nepal Labour Migration Report 2022’ on International Migrants Day on December 18.

The report encapsulates the major trends and activities in the country’s labour migration sector covering the period between 2019/2020 and 2021/2022 which follows the efforts of the ministry to periodically present a comprehensive overview of labour migration in Nepal, reads a joint statement issued by the ministry and its partner organisations.

According to the report, the ministry has adopted and implemented a range of policies and legal instruments to address labour migration related issues in the country such as shifting labour migration related services to online system, adopting new directives and procedures for the reintegration of returnee migrant workers, as well as significant modification on immigration policies especially aiming the migrants in major countries of destination. Despite this progress, Nepali migrant workers’ health and safety issues as well as cases of fraud, abuse and exploitation continue to occur in unignorable numbers.  

The report stresses the importance of ‘informed migration’, awareness, sensitization, and the need for implementing country specific pre-departure orientation as well as post-arrival orientation for migrants. Similarly, the report appeals to support the government’s efforts to ensure fair and ethical recruitment, including the implementation of the ‘employer pays’ principle, which means the costs of recruitment should be borne by the employer not by the worker.

Labour Migration has been a common livelihood strategy for Nepalese households over the recent decades. According to the World Bank, remittances contributed 24 percent of the country’s GDP in the year 2021.

Addressing the event in capacity of the Chief Guest, Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Sher Bahadur Kunwar extended his best wishes to all the migrants on the occasion of the International Migrants Day, and wished for an environment where all labour migrants can be proud of their work and be able to be united for their rights.

“The report will be a useful resource for everyone for it has covered every aspect of migration including its shifting dynamics,” said Minister Kunwar.

“I am glad that we have been able to continue to join hands with the government and other key stakeholders in presenting such report covering every aspects of the labour migration sector in Nepal , which I believe will eventually contribute to strengthening labour migration governance and ensuring safe, orderly and dignified labour migration in Nepal, envisioned by the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM),” said Lorena Lando, IOM Nepal Chief of Mission .

The IOM, the ILO and Sami had supported the government in developing the report.

Representatives from various other government agencies, civil society, development partners, academia, researchers, the United Nations, and other national and international organizations were among the attendees of the event.  

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