February 11: The number of Nepalese nationals seeking foreign jobs has declined by 77.6 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal year, according to the half yearly budget review report of 2020/21 unveiled by the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

In the corresponding period of last year, this number had increased by 17.7percent. This data is presented by MoF based on the applications for labor permits. The report states that the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 induced lockdown in the destination countries have resulted in the decline in the number of Nepalese workers seeking labor permits.

Meanwhile, even before COVID-19 period, Nepalese workers migrating to the Gulf countries have seen a sharp decline for the past years.

The government had renewed labour permits of 368,433 applicants while 190,453 new labor permits were issued in the last fiscal year 2019/20. Nepali workers taking new permits for foreign employment had witnessed a decline of 20.5 percent in FY 2019/20. It had decreased by 32.6 percent in the FY 2018/19. Likewise, in the fiscal year 2017/18, Nepalese workers seeking foreign employment declined by 9.3 percent.

According to the report, the demand for migrant workers is expected to go up gradually as vaccination drive has begun in Malaysia and other Middle East countries.

“On a daily basis, around 50 labor permits are being issued,” said Tika Mani Neupane, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE). DoFe is also providing permit renewal service online from this January.  Around 100 permits are issued through online, informed, Neupane.

Though COVID-19 has resulted in a decline in the number of Nepalese workers seeking foreign jobs, it has not affected the remittance inflow to the country. In the last six months of the current fiscal year, remittance inflow increased by 11.1 percent. In FY 2018/19, the country saw an increase of 16.5 percent in remittance.