The Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies on Friday submitted a 15-point demand to Minister for Youth, Labour and Employment Ramji Yadav, issuing a 15-day ultimatum.
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Foreign employment entrepreneurs have given the government an ultimatum, stating that unless the scientific determination of service fees for workers is implemented and the action taken against 598 manpower companies is immediately withdrawn, they will not be able to send workers for foreign employment.
The Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies submitted a 15-point demand to Minister for Youth, Labour and Employment Ramji Yadav on Friday, giving a 15-day ultimatum. At a meeting organized by the association on Thursday, it was concluded that it is not possible to operate without appropriate service fees.
The Department of Foreign Employment has been taking action against manpower agencies that charge more than the prescribed service fee and send workers via Indian airports. Last year, 598 manpower agencies that sent workers using Indian airports were penalized.
Manpower companies have not obtained permission from the department to send workers via Indian airports. The association has expressed dissatisfaction, stating that after 598 manpower agencies were recommended for action based on data collected for other purposes, entrepreneurs have faced confusion, insecurity, and negative impacts.
“Only foreign employment entrepreneurs have been labeled as fraudsters. We cannot send workers bearing this label,” said association president Dik Bahadur Khatri. “The costs that workers have to pay must be made transparent.” Khatri said that the free visa and free ticket policy implemented by the Ministry of Labour in 2015 (2072 BS) cannot be fully enforced. At that time, a service fee of 10,000 rupees was set.
The Department of Foreign Employment is strictly implementing the ‘free visa and free ticket’ policy. Just last Asar (June/July), the department sent letters to manpower agencies instructing them to send more than 300 workers without charging any fees. Service fees cannot be collected from workers going to Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The department has established a separate online system related to complaint and case management. This system allows victims or their family members, either from Nepal or abroad, to file complaints regarding taking money without sending workers as promised, charging more than the prescribed fee, confiscating passports, and not providing jobs, salaries, or benefits as per the contract abroad, among other issues.
Department Director General Meera Acharya said that the relevant branch will initiate an investigation process for complaints submitted online.
The association stated that it costs at least 140,000 rupees to send one worker for foreign employment. Entrepreneurs have taken action against those who artificially create shortages and reduce airfares to labor destination countries targeted at workers.
Labour Minister Ramji Yadav said that the deadline for the task force formed to determine scientific service fees has been extended by 15 days. At the Nepal Forum on Migration and Development (NFMD) conference organized by the Ministry of Labour and IOM in Kathmandu on Friday, Minister Yadav said that the government has initiated a review process of the ‘free visa, free ticket’ policy, which has been in effect since 2015 (2072 BS), to control illegal recruitment fees and expenses. He said that a high-level task force is studying the effectiveness, practicality, and implementation aspects of the free visa, free ticket policy.
“On paper, there is a free visa, free ticket policy, but in practice, most people going abroad are paying large sums,” Minister Yadav said. “Therefore, we are developing a fact-based and scientific approach to regulate recruitment costs. To make the recruitment process more transparent and monitorable, the government is amending the Foreign Employment Act. Through the amended Act, we will encourage those who comply with the rules and take strict action against violators.”
