The country was shaken by the unexpected and unimaginable events that took place during the Gen-G movement. Vandalism and arson not only pushed the country back, the movement has not only affected the country's prosperity and the lives of the people, but also the international labor market. As young people have taken to vandalizing and arsoning physical infrastructure, the entry of Nepalis into the international labor market has become more difficult.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned the ‘working visa’ being given to Nepalis, while Saudi Arabia is tightening its visa issuance. However, the insecurity and instability that has prevailed since the protests have further increased the compulsion to seek foreign employment. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has estimated that the private sector has suffered losses of Rs 80 billion and more than 15,000 jobs have been affected due to arson and vandalism.

With corruption and misgovernance rampant in the country, lack of adequate employment opportunities, lack of productive sectors, necessary investment and a proper environment for earning income, youth have started looking for a future abroad in despair. They are compelled to seek foreign employment in order to live a comfortable life, properly raise their children, provide education and arrange housing. This compulsion will only increase in the coming days.

With no employment in their own country, Nepali workers have worked hard in foreign lands to irrigate the country's economy. Nepal has received remittances worth 12 billion US dollars in the last fiscal year alone, according to Nepal Rastra Bank. Remittances sent by migrant workers have strengthened the country's economy and made workers the backbone of families. However, in the long term, the country's prosperity has been pushed in the opposite direction. And, the trend of youth emigration, which started three decades ago, has now reached an even higher level. 

The government's economic survey states that the number of Nepalis who have gone abroad for employment with work permits in the past thirty years is 5.969 million. 93.8 percent of men and 6.2 percent of women have made foreign countries their means of livelihood. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf countries are the main destinations for unskilled and semi-skilled workers leaving Nepal. 

According to government data, in the last fiscal year, 939 thousand Nepalis obtained work permits, of which 264 thousand went to the UAE. As the Gulf countries are rapidly moving towards development, they easily give labor permits to migrant workers at cheap wages and employ them in construction work. With sufficient opportunities and attractive wages, Nepalis are also engaged in risky jobs in sectors such as domestic labor, security, and cleaning. Due to the lack of necessary skills, competence, and professional qualifications, Nepalis have not been able to find safe, dignified employment. 

According to the Department of Foreign Employment, in the fiscal year 2081/82, 937 highly skilled workers went abroad for employment, while 227,400 unskilled workers with no skills left. In the past five fiscal years, 3,148,678 Nepalis have gone abroad for employment, of which 1,855 are highly skilled. The government has classified workers who have learned some skills from Nepal and return to the same job after going abroad for employment as skilled workers. During that period, 1.9 million 8 thousand skilled workers, or 61 percent of skilled workers, have gone abroad. 

According to the Nepal Labor Force Survey, about 7 million people are engaged in various types of employment. There are only 1.5 million people employed in agriculture, 1.2 million in wholesale and retail trade, 1.1 million in manufacturing industries, 1 million in construction, and 5 million in education. Due to the lack of sufficient employment and proper remuneration in the sectors of agriculture, water resources, tourism, construction, etc., which have made an important contribution to Nepal's economy, Nepalis are looking abroad for employment. 

The compulsion of Nepali workers to go abroad has not only caused family separation and hindered the prosperity of the country, but the problems and difficulties faced by workers who have reached abroad are also the same. There are problems such as not receiving salaries on time, not being able to return to Nepal after the end of the contract, having to work for low wages, and having healthcare expenses deducted from salaries. Problems such as local laws, consular document authentication, compensation claims, and the lack of minimum wage standards have also been seen. 

Diplomatic missions are established in various countries to protect the rights and interests of workers. These missions, in coordination with Nepali organizations, have been working to make foreign employment safe, organized and dignified, to inform workers about their affiliation with the social security fund, and to emphasize sending only skilled and trained manpower abroad.

The Foreign Employment Act-2064 and its regulations have adopted a policy to ensure the rights of workers and to send trained and qualified workers. The act and regulations state that before going for foreign employment, workers must know subjects such as language, law, nature of work, company information, training on labor rights, labor complaint management, and emergency assistance. However, problems are complicated when workers go abroad in a hurry, under temptation, without making all arrangements, and without completing the process.

The alternative to foreign employment is the guarantee of employment in the country. For that, the state should make individuals skilled, bring policies and programs that make the society creative and entrepreneurial. And, sufficient employment should be created in the country. Employment is essential for economic growth and development, which is possible only through the maximum mobilization of resources and the proper use of capital and technology.