Kathmandu, March 20

The government has barred domestic manpower companies from recruiting Nepali workers in 67 companies abroad, as it tightens noose around foreign employers that violate agreement signed with employees.

The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) has blacklisted 52 firms from Malaysia, six from the United Arab Emirates, five from Saudi Arabia and four from Qatar for violating labour agreements signed with Nepali workers. This means Nepali manpower companies cannot send workers to these firms.

DoFE Director General Dilip Kumar Chapagain said the companies were blacklisted due to their wrongdoing and unethical and unprofessional behaviour.

“We found that these employers were exploiting workers, not providing wages on time, and depriving them of basic facilities, such as food and accommodation. The living condition in some of the places was also deplorable,” said Chapagain. “These are violations of agreements signed between employers and employees.”

The DoFE had blacklisted firms based on complaints lodged by workers and recommendation of Nepali embassies based in labour destinations. Nepali recruiting agencies that were supplying workers to these foreign companies had also complained that the blacklisted firms were not responsible towards people they hired.