Kathmandu, October 23

Nepali migrant workers registered 418 grievances at the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) in the first two months of the current fiscal year — mid-July to mid-September — seeking a total of Rs 182 million in compensation.

During this period, 208 individual complaints and 210 institutional complaints were registered at the DoFE. Out of the grievances received, DoFE has filed 47 cases in the court and 239 cases have been settled out of court.

“Among the cases filed in the court, some have been settled and victims received Rs 45.5 million in compensation,” said Bishow Raj Pandey director general of DoFE. According to him, DoFE itself fined some manpower agencies around Rs 37.6 million during this period.

Migrant workers, who had been duped by the manpower agencies and job providers at the destination country, had registered their complaints at the DoFE. “A majority of complaints were related to the Nepali migrant workers not getting the salary and job as mentioned in their contract paper,” Pandey said.

He also said that the DoFE is planning to settle the grievances as soon as possible. “We are mulling over ways to ensure early settlement of the grievances. However, the process is being delayed due to lack of human resources and other technical reasons,” he informed.

Similarly, the DoFE and the Foreign Employment Promotion Board have directed the manpower agencies to implement the direction related to settlement of grievances without delay.

Rohan Gurung, president of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, said a few cases related to fraud

by manpower agencies have surfaced, however, sometimes workers themselves are creating problems and registering grievances with the government authorities to return home. “If the manpower agencies have cheated the workers, they must be punished. But, the concerned authorities should conduct fair investigation to ensure that the complaints are genuine,” he said.

As per the DoFE, migrant workers who went abroad through their personal initiative are facing more problems in comparison to those who left the country through formal institutions.