KATHMANDU: Mauritius, an island nation located southwest of the

Indian Ocean, has become

a new overseas destination for Nepali blue-collar jobseekers. The Department

of Foreign Employment (DoFE) has given prior permission to send Nepali workers to this tiny country, said Kashi Nath Marasini, DoFE director.

Mita International Pvt Ltd, a Nepali outsourcing agency, got the permission to send 50 industrial workers to Mauritius last week. “We are sending workers in the garment industry at the demand of Quatre Bornes,” said Rajesh Shakya, proprietor. Quatre Bornes is a renowned garment manufacturer in the country.

According to DoFE, the company has proposed

a monthly salary of Mauritius rupees 3,168.55 ($103.007). As per today’s exchange rate the salary comes to around Rs 7,978.15 — less than that in other preferred destinations.

However, Shakya claimed it was not so. “The salary of a worker will be Rs 10,385 per month,” he said. Nepali blue-collar job aspirants wanting to go Mauritius will have to pay Rs 20,000 as service charge. “Air ticket and visa fee is free on the demand call,” he added.

Mauritius is famous for tourism and fisheries. The multi-cultural country’s population was 12,64,867 in 2007 including 68 per cent Indian, 27 per cent ethnic Creole, three per cent Chinese and two per cent French. The country had a gross domestic production of $15.248 billion on 2008.

Nepal can use the

potential of Mauritius’ labour market, said Shakya. “We can send hundreds of Nepali workers in the fisheries and tourism sectors there,” he said adding fish packing can be a good job for Nepali women. Only Israel is a secure destination for Nepali women migrant workers till date.

Prior permission to Mauritius doesn’t reflect the previous promise of DoFE.

“We will not issue permits for those country where

the minimum salary is

below $200 including board and $250 without board,” DoFE director general Mohan Krishna Sapakota had said in July.