Kathmandu, July 14

The online system through which one can obtain labour permit has not been effective due to the lack of awareness and computer knowledge among aspiring migrant workers.

Besides, lack of coordination among concerned banks, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also contributed to making the system less effective.

An aspiring migrant worker is required to open a web account and forward the password to the Department of Foreign Employment for registration. The DoFE issues labour permit on the basis of his or her account details. Following this process, the aspirant can fill up a form to acquire labour permit. The DoFE also seeks bank details of the amount to be deposited in the Workers’ Welfare Fund and details of health check-up and orientation sessions.

As many foreign employment aspirants do not know about the online process and its technicalities, they depend on a foreign employment company or cyber cafés that charge them exorbitantly. Some aspirants even fall into the trap of middlemen in course of filling forms online.

Ram Bharos Pandit aspiring to go to Saudi Arabia for employment complained that he had to pay Rs 7,300 to a Tahachal-based cyber cafe. He said he was told that the money he paid was meant to cover his insurance premium and the money to be deposited into the Welfare Fund. When the receipt was reviewed it was found that Rs 5,300 was paid for insurance while Rs 1,000 had gone to the welfare fund. The remaining 1,000 was charged by the cyber operator in the name of filling up the form online.

Some service seekers have also complained about negligence of some banks in updating details of the amount to be deposited into the welfare fund.

The online system, which was supposed to make work quick and easy, has made the situation even worse because of its lengthy and complicated process. Hence, it is not working effectively, claimed Rohan Gurung, General Secretary of the Foreign Association of Foreign Employment Agencies.

“We send all required documents such as details of the demand paper, salary and other facilities entitled to a foreign worker through web. However, DoFE asks for the original documents which makes the process lengthier and troublesome,” he added.

Need of original documents even after the online system in place is a tool for DoFE employees to demand bribe from foreign employment entrepreneurs, Gurung said.  However, concerned authorities have a different story to tell.

Secretary at the MoLE Laxman Prasad Mainali claimed that a number of problems have been resolved after the process went online. Although some employees of the concerned authority and middlepersons tried to fail the system, they did not succeed in their attempts, he claimed.

The MoLE, home ministry and the MoFA have started working to systematise the online system and issue labour permit to those already working in foreign countries through the concerned Nepali embassies, he said.

“Nepali Embassies in foreign countries, the Department of Consular Services, the Department of Immigration, the DoFE and the FEPB are working in coordination to document details of aspiring migrant workers,” he added.