Government Directs Strict Monitoring of Nepali Migrant Workers Abroad

Kathmandu-Following repeated complaints from Nepali migrant workers regarding unpaid wages as per employment contracts, lack of safe housing, and being forced into work conditions beyond agreed terms, the government has taken new regulatory steps.

The Department of Foreign Employment has issued a notice instructing all licensed manpower agencies engaged in foreign employment to immediately and mandatorily monitor the condition of workers they have sent abroad.Acting on directives from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the department has implemented a new system aimed at ensuring the effective protection of the rights, welfare, safety, and labor standards of Nepali workers.

Under the new provision, each manpower company must regularly monitor the status of every individual worker or group (lot number) it has deployed abroad. On a monthly basis, agencies are required to directly contact at least 5 to 10 workers from each group to collect information regarding salary payments, accommodation conditions, and working environment as per the employment contract.If any violation of the employment agreement is found during monitoring, the concerned manpower agency must immediately coordinate with the employer company to ensure compliance with contractual terms.

The collected data must be submitted every three months to the Institution Monitoring Branch of the Department of Foreign Employment in a prescribed format, which has already been circulated through an official letter issued on Asar 3.

Furthermore, manpower agencies are required to clearly brief all departing workers before deployment about their employment contract, labor laws of the destination country, service benefits, workers’ rights, and grievance procedures.

In cases where workers face problems abroad or experience contract violations, manpower agencies must take immediate action to address complaints and initiate resolution processes.The department has also stated that in situations requiring the rescue of Nepali workers, the concerned manpower agencies will be responsible for coordinating with relevant authorities to facilitate rescue operations and compensation arrangements.