Foreign employment is fraught with many uncertainties. The difficulties faced by Nepali workers due to sudden crises, problems or changes in government priorities in the destination country have repeatedly confirmed such uncertainties. But since foreign employment is becoming a necessity, Nepalis do not see an immediate alternative to facing it. In recent days, the under-construction mega city or NEOM project in Saudi Arabia, called the 'city of the future', is gradually being closed, and the employment of 80,000 Nepali workers working there is in crisis.

Some Nepali workers are losing their jobs and are being forced to return home. This is putting financial and mental pressure on the workers and their families, and the state also has to bear the pressure. Although the Saudi government has the right to close or reduce the project, the Nepal government should make efforts to ensure the continuity of employment for its workers. For that, diplomatic activity should be shown to facilitate workers to change employers. In the long run, only if employment opportunities are created in Nepal, can we be freed from the compulsion to face the risks of going abroad.

The mega city NEOM project, announced by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017, consists of four projects – The Line, Trazena, Oxgan and Sindhla. The project was presented as an ambitious dream of a ‘city of the future’. It is planned to be built in the Red Sea coast of Tawook province in northwestern Saudi Arabia and its estimated cost is around 500 billion US dollars. The project is being taken forward to transform the oil-dependent economy towards tourism, technology, industry, green energy and investment. Only 80,000 Nepalis were working on this grand project. However, due to the high cost of the project and the changing geopolitical situation, various contracts are being canceled, saying that it will be reviewed in accordance with the changing geopolitical situation. As a result, workers have lost their jobs. Although there is no official data on how many Nepali workers have returned in total, Nepalis still working there say that thousands of Nepalis have returned.

Employment opportunities in Nepal are very limited. It is said that about 500,000 new people enter the labor market every year. This project was important in various ways. First, it provided employment to 80,000 Nepalis. Compared to the low employment opportunities in Nepal, such a large number of employment opportunities are a remarkable reference in themselves. On the other hand, the facilities provided to the workers working here were attractive. According to the workers, NEOM gave high priority to the payment of workers' salaries. Overtime was paid. All the money received as salary was saved. Because, three meals were provided. If the site was far away, food was delivered there. It was a pleasure to stay in the camp room. There was drinking water, bottled water was available. There was no cost to wash clothes. Losing such employment is a loss for the workers individually and for the country as a whole. Statistics show that if all the Nepali workers working in the project had to return, at least 2.36 billion rupees would be lost monthly. The money sent home by the workers was spent on children's education, health, nutrition, etc., and the families spent it on necessities and luxuries. So that the families could live a quality life and the country could benefit from economic activity. When a crisis hits foreign employment, Nepalese society, which relies on it, will be deprived of many positive benefits.

Employment opportunities in Nepal are extremely low. It is said that about 500,000 new human resources enter the labor market every year. But about 5,000 opportunities open up in the government sector in the country annually. The private sector is also shrinking. Half of those who enter the labor market go abroad for employment. Among them, Saudi Arabia has also been at the forefront of Nepali choices. Nepalis have started going there since the 1980s. About 400,000 Nepalis are working in Saudi Arabia, excluding domestic workers. The government cannot remain a mute spectator while thousands of Nepalis are losing their jobs in major destination countries. The government should show diplomatic activity. Saudi labor law provides workers with the facility to change employers. Since most workers are unaware of this provision and are sent home by their employers, they do not use this legal facility. In the current employment crisis, it seems necessary for the embassy to facilitate the exercise of the right to change employers.