KATHMANDU: Transport workers are the largest working people compare to other sectors, according to the Nepal Labour Force Survey (NLFS)-2008 report. On average, transport workers work 59 hours per week, which is significantly above the national average of 38.7 hours. Similarly, communication sector is yet another sector that demands more time.

Working in the hotels and restaurants is the second most difficult job that demands 57.5 hours in a week followed by household workers. Private household workers work for 52 hours in a week, according to the survey. On the basis of time, electrician and plumbers are lucky as theirs is the easiest job that requires only 15 hours a week.

Nepali male works 8.3 hours more than their female counterpart, reveals the NLFS. Male works for 43.1 hours but females work for 34.8 hours. Urban population has more work burden than the rural. Total working hours for urban populace is 42.7 hours whereas rural populace has to work for 37.9 hours only.

According to the survey published by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), legislators and senior government officers are ranked third in working hour ladder with 55.1 hours a week. Interestingly, Armed forces average working hour is 45.8 hours whereas the professionals like doctors, engineers worked just 42 hours in a week.

According to NLFS, only 1.99 million Nepalis -- 1.47 million male and 0.52 million women -- are engaged in paid jobs. Government jobs -- including public enterprises -- has occupied 4,11,000 labour force and rest are absorbed by private sector.

Around 4,50,000 Nepalis above 15 years are working in registered private firms. Financial sector like bank, finance companies and insurance has hired 24,000 Nepalis. But a large number of Nepali labour forces are in unorganised sector. "The number of labourers in the unorganised sector comes to around 7,72,000," said the CBS report.

National and International Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) are providing bread and butter to 57,000 Nepalis. "Of them 41,000 are male and 16,000 are female," according to the survey.

The data reveals that 9.78 million Nepalis are self-employed and out of them 4.04 million are male.