Renewal of agreements with Malaysia, Qatar, and South Korea underway
KATHMANDU, Oct 23: The Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security (MoLESS) is intensifying efforts to establish new labor destination countries for Nepali workers. MoLESS has announced that bilateral labor agreements with Oman and Spain are in progress.
According to MoLESS, after high-level discussions and a preliminary agreement, the draft labor agreement with Oman has been sent for approval by the Oman government. Once received in Nepal, it will be forwarded to the cabinet for final approval. MoLESS also indicated that a labor agreement with Spain is being finalized through the exchange of letters.
Kabiraj Upreti, an information officer at MoLESS, confirmed that along with the renewal of labor agreements with Malaysia, Qatar, and South Korea, preparations are also underway for new agreements with Oman and Spain.
The zero-cost labor agreement with Malaysia, a major destination for Nepali workers, is set to expire on October 28, five years after it was signed in 2018. Ministry officials stated that labor agreements with Qatar and South Korea are also being renewed. "New labor agreements with Oman and Spain will be signed soon, while renewals with Malaysia, Qatar, and South Korea are ongoing," Upreti told the media.
The labor agreement with Malaysia has been finalized on Nepal's side and sent to the Malaysian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but a response is still pending.
Nepal set to finalize historic labor agreement with Oman
During the first 100 days of its term, the MoLESS has prioritized seeking new labor destinations and renewing existing agreements. A task force, chaired by the head of the Employment Management Division, is working on the renewal of the Employment Permit System (EPS) with South Korea, as well as labor agreements with Malaysia and South Korea.
100 days of the Labor Minister Bhandari
Labor Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari reported that workplace-based security insurance has been completed during his first 100 days in office.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has drafted guidelines for restructuring the Employment Program, which includes provisions for mobilizing the Prime Minister's Employment Program for disaster management.
MoLESS claims that collective security insurance for 65,000 individuals, including workers and employees at employment service centers, has been completed to ensure social security. Of these, 62,259 individuals have already received the insurance.
Efforts are also underway to amend the law to increase compensation for the families of workers who lost their lives during foreign employment or within a year of returning to Nepal, through the Foreign Employment Board.
A task force has been formed to examine health check-ups and service delivery for workers who have returned from abroad due to health issues. A task force, chaired by former secretary Kewal Prasad Bhandari, has also been established to restructure the social security fund and improve its services.
The registration of employers and contributors in the social security fund has also been completed within the first 100 days. Press Coordinator Abhishek Aryal reported that the target was to register 300 employers and 150,000 contributors, but 466 employers and 198,563 contributors have now been listed in the fund's scheme.
Additionally, efforts are underway to establish immigrant resource centers in 33 more districts to provide information and consultation on foreign employment. Labor Minister Bhandari stated that the ministry is working to expand the existing resource centers, currently operating in 44 districts, to all 77 districts.
Immigrant resource centers are now operational in 48 districts, including Dhankuta, Solukhumbu, Mustang, and Tehrathum.
The ministry has also prioritized the construction of vocational training centers in Madhesh Province, with land acquisition for these centers currently underway. Information and consultation on foreign employment will be provided at the district level through these centers. The Labor Minister also emphasized efforts to offer easy, collateral-free access to loans for workers seeking employment abroad.
MoLESS further reported ongoing discussions on a strategic plan to implement the "Decade of Internal Employment Promotion." The ministry's progress report indicates that preparations are being made to facilitate operations at Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa and Pokhara, including the provision of labor approvals from these locations.
The report also mentions that regulations have been amended to provide compensation of Rs 10,00,000 in case of death during foreign employment or within one year of returning to Nepal.
