Nepali workers to resume to go Malaysia for foreign employment

The agreement between Nepal and Malaysia today has re-opened the prospect for Nepali migrant workers to go to Malaysia for foreign employment, though after a long gap.
The joint working group (JWG) meeting of officials from both the countries which began in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia on September 10, has reached an agreement to open the channel for Nepali workers to go to Malaysia for employment, confirmed the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS). “We agreed to resume the stalled process of labour supply from Nepal to Malaysia,” the ministry official said.
Earlier, the meeting was expected to facilitate and give momentum to the stalled process of labour supply to Malaysia. Authorities from the two governments signed a 10-point deal after the conclusion of a two-day meeting of the JWG in the Malaysian capital.
Although both the countries had reached a bilateral labour agreement in October, some technical issues remained to be finalised, which has delayed the resumption of the Nepali migrant workers to Malaysia. The October agreement between Nepal and Malaysia had relieved Nepali workers of all expenses, including recruitment service charges, airfare, visa fees, medical check-ups and security screening costs, all of which Malaysia-bound workers were required to pay earlier. But the agreement has yet to be implemented due to various hurdles, including one related to the medical examination of outbound workers.
The Malaysian government is now ready to address the issue of medical test, which was one of the contesting issues between the two sides, the ministry said, adding that Nepal has agreed to resume medical tests through existing 36 health institutions. “Out of 122 listed institutions, remaining 86 will be soon approved.”
The Malaysian team will also visit Nepal in November to finalise some remaining technical details. According to the agreement, the Malaysian team will inspect 86 health institutions – out of 122 enlisted by the Nepal government – to include them on a list of authorised medical examination facilities.
A seven-member team from Nepal – that went to Kuala Lumpur – is led by head of Labour Relation and Social Protection Section at the ministry Ram Prasad Ghimire, and comprises representatives from the Foreign Ministry, Law Ministry and Nepali Embassy in Malaysia. The supply of Nepali migrant workers to Malaysia has been halted since last May after the government cracked down on Immigration Security Clearance and One Stop Centre that had been levying additional charges on Nepali migrants.
Malaysia has been one of the preferred labour destinations for Nepali migrant workers until the government imposed a ban – after its findings that Malaysia-bound workers were forced to pay additional money illegally for a private Malaysian company established in Kathmandu – on its citizens going to Malaysia for jobs fifteen months ago.
Malaysia’s closure has also reflected in the country’s foreign employment sector as the number of workers migrating abroad dwindled significantly last year. In the fiscal year 2018-19, some 42,146 Nepali workers left for work in Malaysia. The falling number of Nepali migrant workers to Malaysia is going to bleed the remittance inflow sooner than later.
Despite the announcement of resumption of the recruitment process, officials of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) said that it is likely to take a few more months before workers start leaving for jobs. 

Outsourcers shut down businesses in protest of bomb explosion at Gurung's house

Protesting the recent bomb explosion at the house – that damaged car and some parts of the ground floor of the house – of chairperson of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) Rohan Gurung the outsourcers today closed their businesses across the country.
Over eleven hundred manpower agencies have closed their businesses across the country today in protest of the bomb explosion, according to the association that has also demanded the government to ensure professional security.
They are assembling at NAFEA chairperson Gurung's Basundhara-based house in the capital today afternoon to discuss the latest scenario. "We are feeling insecure to run our businesses," Gurung, whose car was totally destroyed and door and windows on the ground floor of his house had sustained damages, said, adding that they are discussing the future strategy.
The Netra Bikram Chand-led Maoist has already claimed the responsibility of the bombing.

Recruitment agencies must prioritise protection of migrant workers

At a time when Nepal's development partners like World Bank and UN are suggesting the government for a strong migration and remittance policy to take benefit from increasing migration, Amnesty International has shown concern over Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA)'s activities.

"Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies is against the implementation of the existing rules related to labour migration set by the Department of Foreign Employment, which is a serious issue," said Amnesty International.

NAFEA officials have been saying that 'stricter rules' in securing job permits from the department had discouraged recruitment agencies from sending workers abroad. They claim that the drop in migration figures reveals that many are now going abroad through informal channels via India, contravening the law of the land.

"NAFEA’s remarks are not helpful to the ongoing efforts by civil society, and governmental and inter-governmental agencies to promote safe migration," said director of Amnesty International Nepal Rameshwar Nepal, adding that the government's priority should be to protect migrant workers, not ensure high profits for recruitment agencies by processing migration applications as quick as possible.

"Procedures put in place by the government aimed at reducing contractual deception, including translation of contracts into Nepali, should, if implemented properly, contribute towards reducing the widespread practice of recruiters trafficking migrants for forced labour," he added.

Amnesty International’s research clearly revealed that using informal migration routes puts migrant workers at greater risk of exploitation. "If the drop in migration correlates with an increase in migrants travelling via India to circumvent the formal system, then this is indeed cause for concern," said Nepal, urging better cooperation between agencies and the governments of both Nepal and India to protect migrant workers, including penalties for rogue recruiters who violate the law.

Amnesty International has also called on all political parties to sign up to key safe migration policies that will help protect millions of Nepalis, who go abroad for work.

This is an issue that impacts the whole nation and needs a response that crosses party political lines, according to Amnesty that said that it is no longer acceptable for politicians to ignore the issue or for recruitment agencies to circumvent or flout existing laws.

Amnesty International has prescribed to ensure that laws banning excessive interest rates are enforced, apart from ensuring the effectiveness of the Foreign Employment Act as a tool against trafficking for exploitation and forced labour by punishing recruitment agents violating the Act.

Similarly, it has also asked to ensure that the complaint and compensation mechanisms are accessible to migrants and their families and ensure women, who wish to migrate, do not face discriminatory restrictions in the migration process, to release reserves in the Welfare Fund to finance low interest loans for migrants and enterprise assistance for returnees, and to ratify the UN Trafficking Protocol and ensure Nepal’s domestic law on trafficking covers labour exploitation.

Ranabhat NAFEA president

The 16th AGM of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) on Saturday elected Tilak Bahadur Ranabhat of Noor Opportunities Overseas Pvt Ltd as its president for the next two-year term. Ranabhat got 161 votes against his nearest rival Madan Khadka of who got 131 votes.
Som Lal Bataju of SOS Manpower Service Pvt Ltd was elected first vice-president with 159 votes. Similarly, Bal Bahadur Tamang of Sky Overseas Pvt Ltd was elected the second vice-president and Kamal Dev Malla of Third Eye Overseas Concern Pvt Ltd was elected the third vice-president and Gyan Prasad Gaire of Rara Employment Pvt Ltd was elected the general secretary. The new executive committee of 17 members were elected on Saturday after the AGM on Friday.
Foreign employment — the source of remittance — has been a major job opportunity for Nepali youths due to lack of job opportunities back home. The flow of remittances rose by 18 per cent in Nepal, during the first half of current fiscal year 2007-08 and touched the total amount to Rs 57 billion as of mid-January 2008. Nepal had received Rs 48.26 billion during the same period in the previous fiscal year.
The sector is, however, marred by various issues like lack of professionalism, labour law, security of labours and the manpower agencies' credibility. Ranabhat has vowed to make this profession more dignified.

India is top remittance receiver
India is the top receiver of remittances from abroad in 2007, followed by China and Mexico, according to the World Bank's Migration and Remittances Fact book 2008. The top five recipients of migrant remittances in 2007 were India ($27 billion), China ($25.7 billion), Mexico ($25 billion), the Philippines ($17 billion) and France ($12.5 billion), according to the fact book.