Overseas job seekers up by 9.5pc

Overseas job seekers up by 9.5pc
eKantipur.com, 3-Oct-2007

The number of Nepali workers leaving for foreign job jumped up by 9.5 percent in the first two months of the 2007/08 fiscal year, compared to the same period of last year.

According to data compiled by the Department of Labor (DoL), 37,548 Nepalis left for overseas job between mid-July to mid-September 2007. This was 3,238 more than that recorded during the same period last year.

Interestingly, the number of workers leaving for Malaysia, the second most popular destination after Qatar, recorded a drop of 45 percent during the period. 9,003 Nepalis left for Malaysia during the period compared to 16,507 recorded in the corresponding period of last year.

On the other hand Qatar, the most popular destination for Nepali workers, witnessed an 87 percent rise in the number of Nepali workers during the period. According to the DoL, 13,945 Nepalis left for jobs in Qatar, compared to 7,437 recorded in the same period last year.

Likewise, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirate (UAE) received 21 percent and 65 percent more Nepali blue collar workers respectively during the period compared to last year's figures. Saudi Arabia absorbed 6,119 Nepali workers, while UAE received 3,483 Nepali workers during the period, shows the figure of DoL.

During the second month of the fiscal year, starting mid-August to mid-September, a total of 19,369 Nepali workers left the country for overseas jobs. Of them, 11 percent were female workers.

Moreover, the DoL had given prior-approvals for different foreign employment agents to send a total of 24,741 workers, including 100 women who were trying to head to USA.

Twenty workers left for Japan and Jordan during the second month of the fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the DoL received 81 complaints against different manpower agencies during the period. Likewise, victims who lodged cases against the manpower agencies claimed compensations amounting to Rs 18.4 million during the period.

Of the total claims, DoL data shows agencies paid only Rs 30,000 to the victims during the period. Victims also filed six cases in the Kathmandu District Court, seeking action against fraudulent agents and compensation from them.