DoFE receives 666 fraud complaints till mid-August of current FY

KATHMANDU, Aug 30: Global Info Educational and Visa Services located at Old Baneshwor has promotional materials such as sending Nepalis to foreign employment and educational visas to countries with facilities in bold letters on the wall. The office is well managed with all  arrangements of working professionals from security guard to receptionists.

The office is decorated with expensive furniture, carpets, pictures and photos on the walls. The lady counselor narrates about the foreign employment opportunities and 'schemes' in countries like Europe, America, Canada, etc., leaving the visitors spellbound. This is the scene that was seen when I reached there last Friday for reporting for Republica. After seeing the propaganda material on Tiktok that said that Nepalis can go to countries including Canada, Luxembourg, the UK on a foreign employment visa. When I presented myself as a person interested in foreign employment, a female employee said that nowadays there is a demand for workers from Canada, Luxembourg, Malta, Britain, Poland and other countries. She said that the companies are requesting applications and documents from interested individuals.

“Now you should provide the necessary documents along with the passport. We are applying from Delhi,” she said, “About Rs 55,000 should be submitted along with the application. The remaining amount has to be submitted after the application is approved.”

She said that out of the Rs 55,000 submitted, if the visa is not granted, Rs 50,000 will be returned. If the application is approved, it will cost Rs 1.3 million for Canada, about Rs 700,000 to Rs 1 million for European countries. She claimed that the company has already sent workers to European countries including Malta, Cyprus, Luxembourg, and Portugal on work visas. According to her , the consultancy has sent students to Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other countries on student visas.

In the name of Global Info Educational and Visa Service, not only Tiktok, but also other social media networks have been spreading propaganda materials saying that they will send Nepalis to foreign employment on work visas to Europe and Canada with attractive salaries. There are around six to seven official pages of Global Info Educational and Visa Service on Facebook. Meanwhile, it is reaching out to a larger audience through multiple IDs on Tiktok. Also some people have posted celebration posts by cutting cakes to attract others stating that they have been approved on a working visa applying through this office. The company has a liaison office in Kathmandu and a main office in Pokhara. Manager Santosh Adhikari said that there are about 30 employees working in Kathmandu and 13 employees in Pokhara.

Illegal business of Global Info Educational and Visa Service 

This business of Global Info Educational and Visa Services Company, which is promoting sending Nepalis to Canada, America, UK, Poland, Portugal, Malta, Cyprus and other countries on work visas, seems illegal. The purpose of this company and the work it is conducting are not compatible with the words of the director. The official, who claimed to be the manager of the company, claimed to be registered with the company registrar's office as a consultant company. “The consultant is a company. This is the main work we do. It is not registered as a manpower (recruitment) agency,” he said, “Since the original operator of the company has been living in Europe for a long time, we also facilitate some other jobs based on his established relationship.” He mentioned that the owner of the company is Sundar Mani Adhikari.

The managing officer admitted indirectly that he is sending Nepalis to Europe and Canada on work visas. “Facilitation is only done on the basis of knowledge. We haven’t cheated anyone. We don't take much money, either,” he said, “We helped in sending Nepalis to Canada at the minimum cost of Rs 300,000 rather than taking Rs 1.3 million. We only help people who are in our connection.”

According to the Foreign Employment Act, 2064, the foreign employees on foreign employment must be sent to a country approved by the government. Which includes all countries including Europe and Canada, America.

According to Section 11 of the Act, the organization that conducts business to send Nepalis on foreign employment must be registered with the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), but Global Info Educational and Visa Service does not seem to be registered. Similarly, the licensed organization for foreign employment must complete the process based on the nine points of the same section based on the agreement or consensus with the employer organization according to section 15 of the Act. Among these points, in point number (f), there is a provision to submit a original copy of the demand letter and letter of attorney certified by the official body or diplomatic mission or labor attaché or Nepal Chamber of Commerce or NEPAL NOTARY PUBLIC COUNCIL of the country going to work abroad. But since there are few diplomatic agencies of Nepal in European countries, authentication is very less.

Officials of the DoFE said that even though there is a large demand for labor from European countries, there is a problem with verification due to the lack of diplomatic missions there, but Nepalis are found to be going through illegal channels. “It has been heard that workers are going on foreign employment illegally through individual level and agents.” says Kabi Raj Adhikari, director of the DoFE, “This greatly increases the risk. We are still monitoring.”

According to the DoFE, the number of fraudsters who claim to send Nepali workers to Europe and Canada in recent times has been increasing. According to the director of the DoFE, 4,464 fraud complaints were received in the department last year 2022/23. Out of which 1,428 were against the manpower companies. The remaining 1,726 were filed in the police stations and 1,310 were filed against individuals in the department.

The officer said, “The latest trend of complaints shows that Nepalis are being deceived by individuals as well as companies who lure them by claiming to send them to European countries or Canada, America.” By mid-August of the current year alone, 666 complaints have been received. Of these complaints, 244 have been filed at the department and 352 complaints against individuals through the police offices. “About 80 percent of complaints show that Nepalis are being duped with the promise of foreign employment in Europe and Canada,” said the director. The director said that they are also taking legal action against the companies and individuals who are running illegal businesses. Similarly, he said that action will be taken according to the law if Global Info is not registered for the purpose of foreign employment and is found to be illegally sending Nepalis abroad.

 
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