January 18: Nepali citizens have been forced to visit abroad for foreign employment even during coronavirus pandemic due to lack of job opportunities within the country.

The government had pledged to provide employment to Nepali migrant workers who had returned to the country after the disease started spreading in the labour destination countries. However, the government failed to live up to its commitment and this has forced thousands of workers to return to their work although the risk of Covid-19 has not yet subsided.

Altogether 72,366 Nepalis left for foreign employment in the first six months of the current fiscal year. The data was collected from five months record of Nepal Rastra Bank and one month’s data prepared by the Department of Foreign Employment.

Among them, 30,837 workers took new labour permits while the remaining 41,529 had renewed their work permits.

Spokesperson at the Department of Foreign Employment Tikaram Neupane says that the workers have been forced to travel abroad for employment as the government failed to launch the special scheme which it had announced.

“The government had assured the Nepali workers who lost their foreign jobs that it would provide employment to them within the country. However, the government’s scheme did kick off,” said Neupane, adding, “On top of that, there is political instability in the country. This too has forced Nepali citizens to go abroad for work.”

There isn’t any possibility for the government to launch programmes to create employment opportunities given the political instability which the country is going through. In such a situation, many more youths are likely to leave the country, says Neupane.

The latest reports show that the number of people opting for foreign employment is growing. Only around 3000 Nepalis had left for foreign employment in the first month of the current fiscal year. But the number of Nepali migrant workers leaving the country in the sixth month has climbed to 14,753.

The department says that the number of people leaving the country for overseas jobs is increasing despite the threat of coronavirus after the government gave a green signal for foreign employment.

Neupane says foreign countries have already started demanding workers. This has also prompted Nepali citizens to opt for foreign employment.