KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 16

The Department of Foreign Employment is all set to initiate online service for the renewal of labour permits.

The department expects the service that is slated to commence from next week to benefit a large number of migrant workers abroad.

Prior to this, migrant workers had to come to Nepal just to renew their labour permits.

However, after the implementation of this service, workers will be able to renew their labour permits from the destination country itself.

Service-seekers will be able to use selected payment gateways of Foreign Employment Welfare Fund to pay for labour permit renewal. According to the department, service-seekers will be able to pay labour permit renewal fees via payment gateways — IME Pay and eSewa. Service-seekers will receive their permit certificate via e-mail.

This will also facilitate workers who have renewed their visa to renew their labour permit online. However, the department has set a two-time limit for seeking online permit renewal service.

According to the department, if the limit is not set, workers might never return home.

Until now, many workers have been unable to utilise facilities provided by Foreign Employment Welfare Fund just because they were unable to renew their labour permit on time. The department has said the online service is also expected to address this issue and such cases will likely drop significantly in the coming days.

The service will be implemented on the basis of the bill prepared to amend the Foreign Employment Act.

Former labour minister Gokarna Bista had taken the initiative for the same.