At present, Saudi Arabian Embassy in Dhaka and Mumbai are issue visas for Nepali workers, while Qatar and the UAE sending work permit visas through internet and fax.
"We need embassies of those countries here to discourage increasing use of fake documents by foreign brokers and Nepali recruitment agents," a senior official at the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM) told myrepublica.com.
- Embassies of Saudi, UAE and Qatar needed in Nepal
- Diplomatic efforts needed to stop flood of workers through India
- Only Nepali embassies be authorized for document verification
- Govt make efforts to open training centers for overseas workers
- Ban on house maids for gulf countries should stay
- Labor pact with Malaysia
The delegations have also asked the government to continue the ban on the Gulf countries for housemaid jobs until the countries set up their embassies in Nepal.
Likewise the delegations have recommended direct flights between Saudi Arabia and Nepal so that Nepali workers do not have to face air travel hassles.
Two Nepali delegations led by Labor Minister Lekhraj Bhatta and Labor Secretary Yuvraj Pandey had separately visited key labor destinations and labor sending countries in April to assess the condition of Nepali workers in the host countries. The delegations are formally handing over the recommendations to the government this week.
Large numbers of Nepali workers fly to various labor destinations in the Gulf using Indian soil illegally because various Gulf countries do not have embassies in Nepal.
"Most of the women workers flying to the Gulf countries via India have been subject to physical and financial exploitation," added the source.
A total of 14 women and four women are taking shelter in Nepali embassies in Saudi Arabia and Qatar respectively. The UAE-based Nepali mission is providing shelter to two women who were exploited by the employers.
The delegations are also preparing to suggest to the government that only Nepali embassies be given the authority to verify and attest foreign employment documents of workers. As per current practice, the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, local notary public and other non-governmental organizations are also attesting the documents.
The delegations are also recommending to the government that Nepali workers should be provided job-related training before they fly.
"Comparatively skilled and high skilled workers are in better positions that laborers. Unskilled workers are not only exploited financially, but they are subjected to physical abuses by employers," said the source.
The delegations are suggesting to the government to open at least two training centers targeting overseas workers at government level in the first phase with the involvement of Foreign Employment Promotion Board. "Certificate of related training will be made a mandatory for job seekers to get work permits if the recommendation is implemented," said the source.
The recommendation will be forwarded to the office of the prime minister through the MoLTM.
The delegations have also suggested that Nepal sign labor pact with Malaysia, which is one of the top four destinations for Nepali workers.
prabhakar@myrepublica.com
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