JICA to support programme for elevating international migrants

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) today signed a Record of Discussions with the government for the ‘Project on Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Programme for International Migrants’, a technical cooperation project.

The project will be implemented for Career Development and Entrepreneurship Support Programme of the returnee migrants from Japan aiming at enhancing their information access and developing their capacity so that the industrial development of Nepal can be promoted, according to a press note issued by the JICA. The project adopts a demand-driven approach that supports returnee migrants, who want to acquire skills and competencies and further implement their acquired knowledge for establishing a productive business/career in Nepal eventually contributing to the economic development of Nepal, it reads, adding that the project intends to fulfill Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 8 ‘Decent Work & Economic Growth.’

The project plans to appoint mentors who continuously provide training to the returnees recipients for enhancing their capacity in career planning and entrepreneurship throughout the migration flow (pre -migration, while-in Japan and after returning).

The total period of the project is five years  from 2023 to 2027 and the Implementing Agency for the project is Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS), Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and Foreign Employment Board (FEB), the press note of the Japanese development agency further reads.

Outsourcers apply for merger

The outsourcers have applied for merger as the government has increased the bank guarantee amount for them.
“Some 226 manpower agencies have applied for merger after the government amended the Foreign Employment Act to encourage them to go for mergers, , according to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). “After the merger process is completed, the 226 firms will become 98 manpower agencies.”
“Some 576 manpower companies have deposited their bank guarantee while some 533 have deposited cash guarantee, according to the amended Act, till today,” the department informed, adding that the government – through the amendment – has increased the guarantee money to operate a recruiting agency to up to Rs 60 million, some 20-fold increase from the previous amount forcing the manpower agencies to either merge or close down. “Those, which can not deposit increased bank guarantee amount will be forced to close down.”
Earlier, the outsourcing firms had been paying Rs 3 million as guarantee money – Rs 700,000 in cash and Rs 2.3 million as bank guarantee to run their business. There are almost 1,200 recruiting firms at present.
The government has fixed September 3 as the final deadline to submit increased bank guarantee for them. “If they fail to submit the increased bank guarantee amount, the department will revoke their recruiting licence,” the department informed, adding that the department has given the manpower agencies ample time to abide by the new provision.
According to the new law, the recruiting agencies sending up to 3,000 workers per year must deposit Rs 5 million and submit Rs 15 million as bank guarantee. Likewise, the outsourcing agencies sending between 3,000 and 5,000 workers must deposit Rs 10 million and submit Rs 30 million in bank guarantee, it reads, adding that those, who supply over 5,000 workers per year must deposit Rs 20 million and provide a bank guarantee of Rs 40 million to start their operation.

Government opens Malaysian job 'partially'

The government has opened the Malaysian job albeit partially.
The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has decided to issue labour permits to the Malaysia-bound Nepali migrant workers, provided that the Embassy of Malaysian in Kathmandu directly issues visas to them.
The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) – after the ministry's directive – today issued labour permits to 20 workers, who had directly approached the embassy for working visas. The embassy informed the department – in a letter on January 18 – that visas had been granted to the workers, who would be working with a tunnel company in Malaysia. Though departure of these workers does not mean that the government has resumed sending workers to Malaysia, government said that it will not have any problem issuing labour permits to the concerned workers, if the embassy oversees their pre-departure process and grants visas.
The ministry had sent the department a list of workers, who had been granted visas. The work permits has been issued based on the ministry’s decision, the letter from the embassy and the application of the employer company. 
The batch of 20 workers, who obtained labour permits and subsequently left for Malaysia, is the first group of Nepali workers to reach Malaysia since both countries signed a labour deal on October 29, 2018.
Recruiting agencies have also been demanding the government to make arrangements for departures of those workers with calling visas issued by the Malaysian authorities. 
According to Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, nearly 9,000 workers had obtained calling visas from the Malaysian government before the government suspended labour migration to Malaysia.
The labour department today asked all recruiting agencies to submit exact details and documents of the people – who have already received ‘calling visas’ from Malaysia –within 15 days to cross check the number of Nepalis, who have received calling visa. Calling visas are confirmations from their employers about the job.
The outsourcers have, however criticising the government for issuing labour permits to only 20 workers – out of nearly 9,000 with calling visas – who had directly applied for working visas at the embassy, would not submit the details of the workers.
The association has said – issuing a statement – that the recruiting agencies have already submitted these details to the Foreign Employment Office, Tahachal.
Last May, the government had temporarily halted sending labourers to Malaysia as workers were said to be charged unnecessary fees for related services by private companies, namely Immigration Security Clearance and One Stop Centre. The departure of Nepali migrant workers has been stopped in the absence of the mechanism to implement the deal even though it has been more than two months since Nepal and Malaysia signed the labour agreement.
The leaders from various political parties – including Nepali Congress and Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal – had urged the Federal Parliament to resume the halted migration process to Malaysia at the earliest as the overnment has still not lifted the temporary ban on Nepali workers from flying to the Southeast Asian nation.
On the other hand, Malaysian government had on January 7 said that it will finalise all preparations to hire foreign migrant workers within two months.

South Korea to allow family to visit Nepali workers, increase quota

South Korea is going to allow family members of Nepali migrant workers in South Korea to pay a visit at least once during their employment tenure, and increase the quota of Nepali migrant workers.
Responding to the labour minister Gokarna Bista, South Korean ambassador to Nepal Park Young-sik, said that Nepali migrant workers will soon be able to meet their family members in South Korea. "The South Korean government is making official arrangements for this purpose," he added.
Ambassador Youngsik – during the meeting with the labour minister Bista today at the ministry – said that some families have already visited South Korea to meet their keens.
Labour Ministry spokesperson Prakash Dahal informed that minister Bista had requested envoy Young-sik during their previous meeting to facilitate family members' visit at least once during the migrant worker’s contract period.
Though, South Korea is known for offering better facilities and remuneration among other foreign job destinations, the suicide rate of Nepali migrant workers has been increasing in South Korea in recent years. Family visits could give workers a psychological relief from anxiety, loneliness and dispel thoughts of committing suicide. The Nepali migrant workers have a-four-year-and-a-10-month contract period.
Bista also requested the ambassador to increase the jobs quota for Nepali migrant workers in South Korea. The South Korean government has fixed the maximum ceiling of 7,100 Nepali workers, who pass the qualifying test (EPS) and enter its job market in 2019 as potential candidates. Bista urged to hire Nepali workers in service sector too. Praising the performances and conduct of Nepali workers in South Korea, envoy Young-sik said he would do his best to increase the quota for Nepali workers and their placement in service sector, according to a press note issued by the ministry.
According to Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), some 54,363 Nepali migrant workers are in South Korea currently.

CIAA nets NEA big fish in the multi-billion rupee transformer scam

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) –  anti-graft body –today arrested 10 serving and retired Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) officials including managing director Rameshwor Yadav.
"The CIAA has taken them under its control after the initial findings corroborated their involvement in the multi-billion rupee scam while purchasing sub-standard transformers," CIAA spokesperson Shreedhar Sapkota said. “The officials were arrested and taken into custody as the anti-graft body feared they could hide evidences or flee the country.”
NEA chief Yadav was picked up from the Ratnapark-based NEA head office while the rest of them – including planning chief Krishna Bahadur Thapa, engineer Pramod Rijal, former managing directors Chiranjivi Sharma Poudel and Jibendra Jha, former deputy managing director Tikaram BC, deputy director Krishna Bahadur KC, senior official Dev Sharma Poudel and Distribution and Customer Department Chief Mahesh Prasad Acharya – were arrested from their homes.

Earlier on August 4, the anti-graft body had arrested 10 other senior NEA officials and two Chinese nationals — Hu Zheng of the supplier Hubei Sun Light Electric and his Nepal representative Zou Yi Tian — for their involvement in the scam that has hit the NEA financially.
CIAA officials said the state-owned power utility had purchased sub-standard transformers five times from China –  Shenyang Dongneng Electricity Equipment, Hubei Sunlight Electric, SVR Electrical and

Sichuan Dongfang Transformer – and Thailand – Sahabhant Electronic – worth Rs 5 billion over the period of last five years.

Preliminary investigations carried out by the CIAA had revealed that over Rs 300 million was embezzled while purchasing 2,000 sets of transformers from Hubei alone.

The CIAA had taken up the case in last September following complaints that thousands of sub-standard transformers were imported from China and Thailand misusing billions.

According to the internal investigation committee of the NEA led by board member Mohan Pant, the imported transformers used aluminum instead of copper. “Around 30 NEA officials, including the acting managing director Mahendra Lal Shrestha and general managers Upendra Dev Bhatta, Chiranjivi Poudel and Ganesh Rai, were involved in the deals.”

CIAA arrests DoFE, airport immigration staff

KATHMANDU: Likewise, CIAA arrested four officials from Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) over charges of bribery. The officials accused of taking bribe from people who are willing to go abroad and manpower agencies include director Ramesh Mainali.
Mainali, and section officer Deepak Prasad Khatiwada, non-gazetted officer Chandrahari Luitel, computer operators Pappu Kumar Sah and Ram Prasad Pokharel and Arabic language translator Obdul Maksud have been accused of sending 77 Nepalis to foreign countries with the fake documents.

CIAA has also seized fake documents.

Similarly, the CIAA has also arrested five top officials of Immigration Department while taking bribe from service seekers at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). The CIAA took action after video footage revealed section officers Surya Prasad Dahal and Devarsi Sapkota, non-gazetted officers Pradip Prasad Lamichhane and Bishwa Raj Kharel and office assistant Jaya Narayan Napit taking cash from the service seekers.

Billionaire Saudi Prince promises investment in Nepal

Visiting Saudi Arabian billionaire prince Al-Waleed bin Talal has promised investment on airlines, tourism, and heritage in Nepal. Talking to media after his meeting with deputy prime minister Sujata Koirala and six cabinet ministers at Hotel Yak & Yeti, the world’s 19th richest person expressed his interest in investment in Nepal. He is also positive on establishing Saudi Arabia's consular office in Kathmandu. “He is positive on opening consular office to facilitate Nepali migrant workers apart from opening of training centre for Nepali migrant workers," Minister for Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM) Mohamed Aftab Alam said -- quoting the prince -- after a meeting with him at the hotel. Nepal has been urging Saudi government to open diplomatic mission in Kathmandu since last year as it is the second biggest destination for Nepali blue collar workers after being overtaken by Malaysia some years back. Acdcording to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) data, the destination has hired 356,347 Nepali workers in last one and half decade and 15,149 workers this year. However, it is providing jobs to over half a million Nepalis, if undocumented workers also be counted. As many as 67,000 undocumented Nepali women workers were also found working in the host country last year. Responding to minister Alam's urge to provide migrants' rights, the Prince said that Saudi Arabia respects foreign workers. Similarly, the prince has also shown interest to start direct flight between the two countries, according to Alam. The 55-year-old, who arrived in Kathmandu in his private jet on Saturday accompanied by his wife, Princess Amira, and an entourage of aides and bodyguards, is the 19th richest man in the world according to the Forbes magazine. Nicknamed Arabian Warren Buffett by Time magazine, he has invested in several business undertakings including in Rotana Audio and Video Company, Lebanese Broadcasting Center, News Corp, City Group and Apple Ink since he entered into business in 1971. He is also the chairman of Kingdom Holding Company (KHC). The Prince's activities as an investor came to prominence when he bought a substantial tranche of shares in Citicorp in the 1990s when that firm was in difficulties. Later, he also made large investments in AOL, Apple Inc., MCI Inc., Motorola, News Corporation Ltd and other technology and media companies. Al-Waleed, who made his over $19 billion fortune by investing in the banking and hotel industries, is expected to invest in Nepal that needs huge investment to create jobs and kick start economic growth. Prince Al-Waleed also visited Bhutan yesterday afternoon from Nepal and returned in the evening. He is flying back tomorrow. Earlier, he met President Dr Ram Baran Yadav in the afternoon. The president conferred him Maha Ujjwal Rashtradeep honour. A Cabinet meeting in the morning had decided and recommended President Yadav to confer the award on the prince, who is the first to receive the country’s biggest honour reserved for foreigners after Nepal became republic in 2008. DPM Koirala Koirala said the government honoured the Saudi prince to strengthen the bilateral relations. In the evening, before meeting the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at his official residence Baluwatar, the prince also visited United World Trade Centre (UWTC) in Tripureshwor.

Use remittances to develop a pro-migrant worker policy

The government needs to develop a pro-migrant worker policy and utilise remittances to that end, a government sponsored study has suggested.

The study commissioned by the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) and carried out by Nepal Development Study Corporation (NDSC) has suggested five points that include training to migrant workers, exploring new destinations, simplifying remittance policy, and utilisation of the remittance money in the manufacturing sector.

The study has suggested the government to invest at least five per cent of the annual budget in this sector.

Remittance is contributing equal to around one-fifth to the total gross domestic production (GDP), second after the agriculture sector that contributes 32 per cent. NDSC study has further suggested the government to develop separate policy for women migrant workers as a large number of housemaids are suffering from exploitation in destination countries.

Over 1,00,000 Nepali women believed to be working in the Gulf countries –– Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and others –– are vulnerable to exploitation in workplace, according to the study that has revealed the bitter truth of foreign employment, saying ‘around 40-50 per cent Nepalis are leaving the country for overseas jobs through illegal channel'.

According to the report, around 800 Nepalis are leaving the country for overseas jobs every day, which is significantly higher than the previous year. Around three million Nepalis are engaged in jobs overseas, with the Gulf countries and Malaysia together accounting for about 90 per cent of them. According to DoFE, 1,87,149 Nepalis have been employed in overseas jobs last year while in the current year 2,31,943 have already left for foreign jobs.

Foreign employment is generating revenue for the country.

According to the study, the government had earned Rs 1.13 billion from passport and airport tax from migrant workers in 2008-09. Of 4,28,612 passports issued in Nepal, 2,19,965 are migrant workers. Outsourcing and orientation organisations are paying Rs 7.4 million per year as renewal fee. Around 3,43,913 Nepalis are employed abroad.

Training unskilled workers is a major challenge for increasing remittance base for Nepal. Around 75 per cent Nepali workers are unskilled, followed by about 25 per cent semi-skilled and only a nominal per cent of the migrant workers are skilled. Nepali banks and finance companies depend on remittances. According to the study, around 26 commercial banks, two finance companies and 45 remittance companies are engaged in the business. Nepali migrant workers going to the Gulf countries and Malaysia are occupying 58.97 per cent of the total seats in airways that fly to these destinations. Of 7,172 weekly air seats to the destinations, migrant workers occupy 4,230 seats.

Malaysia reduces foreign labour forces

Major Nepali labour destination market Malaysia has shed a huge number jobs of as it is hit due to the financial crisis. More than 26,000 people have lost their jobs in Malaysia so far this year as the economic slowdown forced employers to cut back, reported a news agency Bernama today.
Malaysian Employers' Federation executive director Shamsuddin Bardan told Bernama he expected further job losses in the coming weeks. He said a $16.2 billion stimulus package unveiled earlier this month had not provided immediate incentive for companies to retain their workers. The blue-collar Nepali job-holders are among the worst hit in the East Asian country that had seen a boom in the construction sector in the past years.
The Malaysian government has slashed work permit approvals for foreign workers by almost 70 per cent this year and cancelled work visas of 55,000 Bangladeshi workers after unions said the situation for Malaysians was bleak enough.
In January, the Malaysian government has also banned the hiring of new foreign workers in the manufacturing and services sectors after a report forecast 45,000 Malaysians would lose their jobs in the next few months.
Malaysia is one of Asia's largest importers of labour and has an estimated 2.2 million foreign workers who are the mainstay of the plantation and manufacturing sectors. There are around 4,00,000 Nepalis in Malaysia. The country slipped from second position to fourth as a top Nepali labour destination market. Only 1,509 Nepalis migrant workers reached Malaysia in Falgun. Qatar, as usual ranked first, with 5,177 Nepalis going to work in the Gulf country.
According to the Nepal's Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), a total of 13,743 Nepalis left for nearly four dozens countries between mid-Feb and mid-March, 296 less than the number the previous month. Around 14,039 people left for foreign employment in Falgun (between mid-January and mid-February).
Nearly 9,758 Nepalis -- 9304 male and 454 female -- got prior permission last month. Likewise, 3,025 migrant workers left Nepal through individual sources. A slight change in the pattern of Nepali migrant workers was seen in DoFE data. The number of Nepalis going to non-preferred destinations increased in Falgun.