Some 70 per cent South Korea returnees running own businesses

Seventy per cent of South Korea returnee migrant workers are involved in their own business, according to a survey. 
“Some 20 per cent have returned South Korea for foreign employment, and the rest 10 per cent have been living idle,” revealed the survey conducted by Ankur Nepal, an organisation of the Korea returnees.
Korean Association of Returned Workers-Nepal (Ankur Nepal) conducted the survey among 955 Korea returnees across the country in association with the Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB). “The trend of South Korea returnees engaging with self-employment is slowly increasing,” the report reads, adding that no less than 70 per cent of the South Korea returnees are involved in tourism sector, medium-size industry and farming.
In July, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) felicitated returnee migrants for their dedication in the agriculture, steel and garment sectors and also for being a source of inspiration for those who return from foreign jobs and want to start a business in Nepal. “Of the five awarded returnee migrants, three were South Korea returnees.”
According to the board, some 55,000 Nepali migrant workers went to South Korea but around 35,000 are currently working in South Korea and some 20,000 have returned to Nepal after completing their term in Korea.
The number of migrant workers leaving for South Korea is also going up and at the same time, the number of Korea returnees is also increasing. But chairman of Ankur Nepal, Lal Prasad Bhattarai – himself a South Korea returnee, who has had lived in South Korea for altogether 11 years – claimed that the South Korea returnees are disciplined, hard working and self employed. Bhattarai, who is now operating a tourism business in Kathmandu, also informed that Ankur Nepal was established in 2012 with a concrete goal of discouraging illegal migrant Nepali workers. The South Korean Embassy in Kathmandu is helping the organisation with regular trainings programmes. “We organise different programmes in association with the South Korean Embassy,” he said, adding that it also operates orientation and motivation classes for the migrant workers and their families. “It works for minimising the incidents of depression and suicide in Korea, too.”
Established with a motto ‘one South Korea returnee should provide employment to at least three Nepalis’, Ankur Nepal has 25,000 general members, 170 life members and a 15-member working committee at present.
South Korean envoy to Nepal Park Young-Sik, said that the Embassy organises programmes, in association with Ankur Nepal, on a regular basis to support the successful settlement of Nepalis, who returned from South Korea. “The returnee migrants should implement the skill and technology they have learned in Korea,” he said, adding that the embassy is supporting them in setting up of their businesses in Nepal.

Nepal, Qatar vow to clamp down on recruiters charging migrant workers

Qatar and Nepal vowed to clamp down on outsourcers that illegally took money from Qatar-bound Nepali migrant workers.
During a meeting today in Kathmandu with a visiting Qatari delegation led by labour and social welfare minister of Qatar Abdullah Saleh Mubarak Al-Khulaifi, Nepal asked to arrange for free of cost recruiting for Nepali migrant workers.
Nepali side led by state minister for labour Tek Bahadur Gurung asked Qatari counterpart to make it binding for employers to bear the commission paid to the recruiting agencies and agents in order to ensure cost-free hiring of Nepali migrant workers to Qatar.
Nepali migrant workers are forced to pay between Rs 70,000 and Rs 100,000 despite Qatar’s pledge to make recruitment cost-free for migrant workers. Though the government has allowed outsourcers to charge up to Rs 20,000 in fees, many recruiting agencies charge even for free visa and tickets for the second most lucrative destination for Nepali migrant workers.
Qatar has however, categorically said that its laws did not permit foreigners hired to work pay anything in the process.
Qatar – that needs more migrant workers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup projects – said that its companies bear all he expenses involved in hiring a migrant worker.
If any Qatari companies charge to hire migrant workers, they will be punished, Al-Khulaifi said, adding that all hiring and travel expenses for migrant workers are borne by Qatari companies.
But the migrant workers are forced to pay exorbitant fees as the government failed to monitor and punish the outsourcing agencies and agents. Gurung also promised to blacklist manpower companies that charge money.
Though no agreement was signed today, the second day of the delegation's four-day official visit to Nepal, both the countries discussed on providing 24-hour insurance to Nepali migrant workers, compulsory orientation before taking jobs and strengthening workplace safety and security.
“Qatar’s insurance policy covers only work-related and road accidents," Gurung said, adding that the government hass asked visitors to provide 24-hour insurance cover throughout the contract period. "Apart from insurance, Qatar has also pledged to address most of the issues related to migrant workers in its proposed labour law."
Qatar is working on new labour laws that is expected to address most of the challenges facing – migrant workers, including good living and working conditions, occupational safety and life insurance.
According to Foreign Employment Promotion Board, it has reimbursed – from Migrant Workers’ Welfare Fund – some 205 families of  migrant workers, who died in Qatar in the fiscal year 2013-14, some 110 in 2012-13 and some 130 in 2011-12. But most of the deceased migrant workers have not got proper compensation from the employer as the Qatari law does not cover insurance for workers dying of 'natural cause', cardiac arrest or suicide.
However, the failure of successive governments in creating employment in the country has forced the mass exodus of youth to the foreign jobs, lately.
Qatar – the second largest destination for Nepali migrant workers after Malaysia – has some 400,000 Nepalis working currently, according to the department. "In the last fiscal year 2014-15, some 128,874 Nepalis went to Qatar, up from some 90,935 in a fiscal year ago in 2013-14," according to the department.