KATHMANDU: The International Relations and Labour Committee of the Legislature-Parliament today directed the government to introduce a guideline on attestation of demand letters to send Nepalis for foreign employment. It has stated that the directive should make it mandatory for Nepali diplomatic missions and labour attachés present in labour receiving countries to attest such documents.

Demand letter is a vital document for recruiting agencies to send workers. Attestation of the document by Nepali diplomatic mission or labour attaché or chamber of commerce or notary public of the country where workers go for foreign employment is mandatory to seek approval to send workers, as per the Foreign Employment Act 2007.

“The committee meeting has decided to direct the government to make provision of attestation of demand letters by notary public and chamber of commerce in only those countries where Nepal has no presence of diplomatic mission or labour attaché,” the committee decision states.

Earlier, a government report had revealed that haphazard attestation of such crucial documents by notary public and chamber of commerce was one of the reasons of Nepali workers facing various problems.

The committee said that the directive to be introduced for attestation of demand letters should assure that the worker gets minimum salary, should have provision of insurance and safe accommodation facility, among others. Before issuing the instructions, the panel had held discussions with state minister of Labour and Employment, chief secretary, secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and secretary of Ministry of Labour and Employment on issues related to demand letter attestation, labour permit and orientation training and delegating semi-judicial rights of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) to Local Labour Offices.

In a bid to make it easy for service seekers, the parliamentary committee has instructed the government to make it possible to register and investigate the cases related to foreign employment frauds from Local Labour Offices, as well as settle such cases within a specified period. It has also asked the government to simplify the procedure to help Nepali workers return to their labour destinations without administrative hurdles after vacationing in Nepal.

Amid increased criticism of orientation training for outbound workers not being provided effectively, the panel has also directed to implement a system which allows online video monitoring of training sessions.

DoFE has taken action against around two dozen orientation training centres by suspending their operation for periods ranging from seven days to six months, depending on their wrongdoings. Similarly, 14 such centres were given a stern warning and instructed to provide trainings effectively.