Kathmandu, August 27:

According to the official figure, 18,169 Nepalis have left country in search of greener pastures within the month of Shrawan.

Due to lack of enough job-opportunities back home, around 20,000 Nepalis have been leaving the country in search of better job opportunities every month through the official channel, according to the data. Almost the same number of people leave country unofficially.

Most of these Nepali youths go to Malaysia and Gulf countries as they are the most coveted destination for unskilled Nepali youths. “Their first choice is Qatar and the second is Malaysia,” according to the data. A total of 6,429 Nepalis got permission to go to Qatar in the month of Shrawan.

Similarly, 4,351 got permission to go to Malaysia and 3,676 got permission to go to Saudi Arab. “Only 12 women got the permission to go abroad within this month. And the number is lesser than last month,” according to the data.

Only five women left for Hong Kong, yet another lucrative destination for Nepali job-seekers. “Five job-aspirant left for Makau and two for Baharain.”

Though the government has opened 107 countries for foreign job-aspirant, Nepalis have left for only 15 countries in the month of Shrawan. Among them also, Gulf has been the most attractive destination for Nepalis from the begining.

“However, government to government agreement is a must with the countries where the Nepalis are attracted to go and work,” say Man Power agencies. In the lack of such agreement violation of rights of Nepali workers and other legal problems are rising in the recent days.

“The government must be serious to protect its people’s right wherever they go,” they suggest.