KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 21

In its effort to address the issues arising from the country's foreign labor migration, the government is set to resolve policy, legal, and procedural systems for a long-term solution by establishing a specific deadline.

A meeting held on September 11 and 12, chaired by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had made these decisions with the aim of ensuring safe, orderly, and systematic foreign employment. Ambassadors from 12 major destination countries also attended the meeting.

According to Minister for Labour, Employment, and Social Security Sarat Singh Bhandari, new destinations for foreign jobs will be explored, and bilateral labor agreements will be signed with these new destination countries.

Likewise, the rights and social security of migrant workers will be ensured, the labor approval process will be simplified, and the roles of diplomatic missions will be made more effective.

Furthermore, Minister Bhandari stated that the government will ensure the repatriation of deceased migrant workers and the reintegration of returnees as part of its social welfare responsibilities.

A Labor Migration Division will be established within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Bhandari explained that the division's terms of reference will be formulated to manage Roaming Ambassadors and Labor Attaches in coordination with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security.

As part of the decisions made, the visa verification process will be simplified by amending the guidelines for labor permit approval in the personal labor approval system. To streamline the payment process for labor permit renewal, the Labor Ministry will coordinate with diplomatic missions and the Nepal Rastra Bank.

Additionally, a relief and rescue fund will be established in all labor destinations, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs preparing a directive for its mobilization within a month.

Moreover, the board will develop a work procedure within a month for the transparent mobilization of the revolving fund provided by the board to the missions. The cost of transporting the bodies of deceased migrant workers will be covered by the fund, with reimbursement by the government later.

According to the decision, the country will establish a diplomatic mission in countries with more than 10,000 Nepali workers. These missions will have 'dry postings' of an Under Secretary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a labor attaché, and a local employee, as stated by Minister Bhandari.

It is estimated that Portugal, Romania, Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, the Maldives, Poland, and Turkey have more than 10,000 Nepali workers.

Quotas for labor counselors and labor attachés will be established for these countries, with the Ministry of Labor preparing a proposal within a month in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Similarly, the meeting emphasized the need to establish quotas for appointing labor counselors and labor attachés in Japan, Germany, Austria, Israel, and for a labor attaché in South Korea. Labor counselors and labor attachés will have a minimum three-year term from now on, and the 'employers pay principle' will be implemented. Fee specialization will be managed, with fees not exceeding Rs 100,000.

The meeting, held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers and Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Labor Minister Bhandari, Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, PM's Chief Political Advisor Haribol Gajurel, Chief Secretary Dr. Baikuntha Aryal, Labor Ministry Secretary Kewal Prasad Bhandari, Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudel, and Nepal's ambassadors to various 12 countries and general consuls.'