Foreign employment entrepreneurs have said that they will not allow the skills testing program, which is being conducted unilaterally without coordination and cooperation with Nepal, to be conducted in violation of the labor agreement.
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Foreign employment entrepreneurs protested on Wednesday by reaching the skills certification center for workers launched by Saudi Arabia in Kathmandu without Nepal's consent.
Saudi Arabia had scheduled the inauguration of the center in Basundhara on Wednesday to start a skills testing program for workers going into general occupations, putting a financial burden on the workers. Entrepreneurs are protesting in front of the inauguration center. Entrepreneurs have thrown down a board with the words 'Skill Certification Program'.
They have said that they will not allow the skill testing program to be conducted unilaterally without coordination and cooperation with Nepal, contrary to the labor agreement. Workers will have to pay an additional fee of 15,000 rupees for this skill test. There is $50 for the exam fee and $50 for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
Saudi Arabia has stated that visas will not be issued unless a certificate of passing the skill test is submitted. Currently, the five professions that are subject to skill tests are loading and unloading, porters, cart drivers, and construction workers. It has not been clearly stated what kind of work workers will do in the construction sector.
Hari Bahadur Pandey, president of Nepal Foreign Employment Unity Society, accused workers of trying to extort money from them in the name of skill testing. He said, 'This is a syndicate. We cannot accept this in any way.'
The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security has not made a formal statement on the program. An official from the ministry has stated that internal discussions are underway on this.
The labor agreement signed between Nepal and Saudi Arabia in December last year states that a joint technical working committee will decide on issues related to the recruitment process of Nepali workers. However, Nepal and Saudi Arabia have not reached a bilateral agreement on implementing the skill certification program.
The Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs Association had reached the Ministry of Labor to meet Youth, Employment and Social Security Minister Ramji Yadav to draw his attention to this matter. Labor Minister Yadav has not met the entrepreneurs. Association President Dik Bahadur (Kumar) Khatri said that excessive financial burden on workers will not be accepted.
‘If this arrangement is implemented, Nepali workers going to Saudi Arabia will now have to pay additional fees.’ It is seen that the certification process will create a situation where additional time will have to be spent and unnecessary hassle and financial burden will be incurred in the employment process,’ said Association President Khatri. ‘This is likely to increase the cost of workers going for foreign employment and adversely affect their welfare.’
