Record high: Over 740,000 individuals secure govt permits for foreign employment in Nepal

KATHMANDU: The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) has reported a remarkable milestone as more than 740,000 individuals obtained government permits for foreign employment as of Sunday, leaving less than 15 days for the fiscal year 2022/23 to conclude.

This year’s figure sets a new record high, surpassing the previous year’s total by approximately 100,000 people, reaching around 11 and a half months. For the entire fiscal year 2021/22, the number of people receiving work permits for foreign employment stood at over 630,000.

The statistics from DoFE reveal that a staggering 2,044 individuals left the country on a daily basis in pursuit of job opportunities abroad.

A stark contrast can be drawn when comparing this to the year 2000/2001 when only 50,000 people sought foreign employment opportunities amidst global lockdowns imposed to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

The allure of foreign employment for Nepalis saw a notable surge after the emergence of the Maoist insurgency.

Over a span of 18 years between fiscal years 1994/95 and 2012/13, a total of 2.465 million individuals obtained government approval for foreign employment.

In the subsequent years, an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people annually left the country for foreign job opportunities.

However, the number experienced a substantial spike after the 2015 earthquake, with a total of 642,859 people receiving government permits in 2016/17.

The numbers took a significant hit in 2019/20 due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, with only 166,698 people going abroad for employment during that year.

According to Nepal Rastra Bank’s statistics, Malaysia stands as one of the primary labor destination countries for Nepali migrant workers.

Additionally, an increasing attraction is observed towards European countries, including Romania, Croatia, Cyprus, and the UK.

Experts have noticed a trend where a significant number of people enter European countries, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the UAE on visit visas and then engage in illegal work, claim refugee status, or seek opportunities on working visas.