KATHMANDU: Saudi Arabia topped the list in Nepali labour destinations leaving Qatar behind at second position, the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) data show. Around 7,280 Nepali migrant workers left for Saudi Arabia in the first month of the current fiscaL year, a five-fold increase compared to last month.

Qatar hired 5,868 Nepali blue-collar jobseekers between mid-July and mid-August 2009. A significant fall in Nepali workers going

to Malaysia was noticed in the period and limited to 1,381. Malaysia hired around 3,930 Nepalis in the last month of the

fiscal year 2008-09. The impact of the global

economic crisis was clearly seen in two popular destinations — Malaysia and Qatar — in DoFE data.

No remarkable migration trend was seen to the UAE that employed 3,178 Nepalis in the first month of the current fiscal year and 3,145 the previous month.

Four major destinations — Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Malaysia — comprised 91.28 per cent of Nepali labour absorption between mid-July and mid-August 2009 whereas 8.72 per cent of Nepali migrant labour force

distributed among 72 countries. These destination countries hired 75.93 per cent of Nepali labourers in the last month of the fiscal

year 2008-09.

Overall, the Nepali labour market abroad shrank by 5.98 per cent this mid-July to mid-August compare to the previous month. Around 19,397 Nepalis left for over six dozen countries from mid-July to mid-August and 20,632 the previous month. Compared to the same period previous year, Nepal’s overseas job destinations got cut by 22.33

per cent — from 24,974 to 19,397.

Around 3,856 Nepalis left for foreign employment through individual contacts last month. Qatar tops this category hiring 1,809 Nepalis followed by Saudi Arabia (1,067), Kuwait (392) and Oman (256). Bahrain hired 85 Nepalis placing itself in fifth destination on the ladder.

The effect of the Israeli government’s ban, since April 24, on Nepali blue-collar jobseekers going for overseas jobs had its impact on Nepali women migrant workers. Israel is home to around 12,000 Nepali migrant workers and about 10,000 women who are working there as care-givers.

About 886 Nepali women were hired in 19 different countries between mid-July and mid-August 2009 through individual contacts. Lebanon and Kuwait are two major recruiters hiring 431 and 273 Nepali women in the period. Other major recruiters were the UAE (73), Oman (38) and Israel (6). Libya has emerged as a new destination this month, hiring 112 Nepalis.