November 3: A ‘protocol’ to send Nepali workers to Israel has been finalized as per the agreement signed between the two countries about a month ago.

High-ranking officials of the two countries prepared the protocol after almost a month of negotiations.

The protocol mentions about issues like the process of sending workers to Israel, their qualification, perks and benefits in accordance to the labour agreement.

The protocol focuses on sending Nepali workers to the health sector of Israel and has specified food and accommodation for them.

Besides the health sector, the Nepali workers will also get opportunities to work in hotels and  restaurants, agriculture sector, construction works among others.

Nepali workers willing to go to Israel for work will have to pay the visa fee, medical test fee as well as orientation charge and a certain amount to the welfare fund themselves, as per the protocol.

Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment Kumar Dahal, who represented the Nepali side during negotiations with Israel, says that the two countries prepared the protocol on the basis of the labour pact.

However, Dahal informed that the two countries are yet to endorse the protocol.

“Representatives of the two countries will endorse the protocol immediately after Tihar. The process of sending workers to Israel will begin soon after endorsing it,” said Dahal.

According to Dahal, 500 Nepali workers will be sent to Israel in the first phase. The Department of Foreign Employment is finalizing a separate work procedure for it, informed Dahal.

“We are finalizing a work procedure to implement the labour agreement and the protocol. It will be ready soon,” said Dahal.

Nepal had also signed a labour pact with Israel in 2015. Back then, very few Nepalis had gone to Israel for work. Israel had agreed to take nurses and care givers having three months of training but the agreement could not be implemented for a long time.