Setbacks mar foreign jobs sector

KATHMANDU, July 22: Nepal´s foreign employment sector went through recuperating mode in fiscal year 2009/10 after drop in demands from labor destinations due to global economic gloom despite some setbacks in departure due to difficulties in making passport, closure of job opportunity in Israel and restriction on women workers in the Gulf countries.

In a bid to explore new destination, the government listed African country Uganda as the 108th labor destination for Nepali workers. However, reports of hundreds of Nepalis stranded in different countries, including 108 workers in Libya - a newly opened job market -- drew public concern. [break]

Untimely death of 400 workers in different labor destinations over the period also raised the issue safety and security of Nepali workers in recipient countries. Tragic death of 12 Nepali workers in a ship mishap at a Qatari port was another unforgettable event.

“Despite improvement in employment opportunities for Nepalis, we couldn´t see remarkable improvement in the foreign employment sectors in term of welfare of workers and enhancement of job prospect,” Gyan Prasad Gaire, vice-president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), told myrepublica.com.

Some government decisions taken during the year brewed controversy. Though the appointment of labor attaches to key labor destination was a positive step, the decision was marred with controversy after questions were raised on the qualification of appointees.

Controversies surrounding the government decision to appoint labor attaches to Hong Kong, Oman, Israel, Kuwait, Japan and South Korea prompted Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to intervene into the process.

Controversy in labor attaché appointment

Uganda opened as 108th destination

Foreign employment tribunal established

Impact of passport shortage

72 companies designated for internship in Japan

Crackdown on workers in Soth Korea, Malaysia

Though the government officials, including Labor Minister Mohammad Aftab Alam, visited around half a dozen countries to identify new markets and promote employment opportunities, not visible impact was felt.

The government´s diplomatic efforts to reopen for Nepalis the Israeli job market, which has been closed for more than a year over reports of irregularities in the sending process, also failed to yield results.

Crackdown on migrant workers in different labor destinations was another important event in the foreign employment sector in 2009/10. Governments of South Korea and Malaysia cracked down on migrant workers on the charge of overstaying visa.

Despite rise in number of overseas workers by over 35 percent, remittance income remittance income increased by only 7 percent in 2009/10 compared to the figures of a year earlier.

Apart from these problems, there were some positive developments in the sector in 2009/10. The government formulated guidelines and designated 72 agencies to send workers to Japan as industrial trainees through Japan International Training Cooperation (JITCO).

Similarly, the government initiated Korean Language Test (KLT) process to send more workers to South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS). More than 42,000 youths have applied for the language test.

Another remarkable development is the establishment of Foreign Employment Tribunal, which is expected to shorten the time for justice delivery to the victims of fraudulent acts in the foreign employment sector.

prabhakar@myrepublica.com