The migration of Nepali workers increased drastically following the 2015 Nepal earthquake as affected families were in search for new sources of livelihood. Scarcity of jobs caused by the country’s slow industrialization has also prompted many Nepali youth to look for job options abroad.

However, the recent diplomatic row between Qatar and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition which resulted in the severing of road and sea links between the countries last month, has raised concerns in Nepal about the security and future of the Nepali migrant workers in Qatar.

Another repercussion of the events in the Gulf region is the sharp decline in the number of people applying for work permits to Qatar. According to Mohan Adhikari, Information Officer at the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), the number of work permits issued has gone down to average 150-300 a day since the Qatar crisis began, from the earlier average of 700 to 800 work permits.

The crisis, which shows no signs of abating, could also go on to affect the large Nepali population, estimated to be around 700,000, in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain. Additionally, it could further the volatility in the oil prices impacting Nepal’s petroleum imports.

Nepali embassies in the region are on high alert and are proactively working towards providing information and assistance to workers as required.

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In this regard, the Ministry of Labor and Employment has already sent a delegation of Nepali doctors to Malaysia to study the issue.

Among other areas like Gulf, where hot climate prevails, Malaysia is one of the popular destinations for Nepalese, hosting almost 550,000 Nepali migrant workers.

Young and healthy Nepali migrant workers faced untimely deaths in Malaysia at a higher rate compared to other destinations, for a reason that is yet a mystery.

The rate at which the deaths took place is shocking. The data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal, verified with the embassy in Kaula Lampur, reveals the death of around 3,800 mentally and physically fit Nepali workers in Malaysia, since 2003.

Post-mortem reports seem doubtful

The post-mortem reports of the Malaysian hospitals cite cardiac arrest among others, including suicides, chronic diseases, physical assaults, as the major cause of Nepali deaths.

However, the outcome of those reports remains a debate among the officials in the Nepali mission, as they feel that Malaysian employers not compelled to offer health and insurance benefits is the reason for blame on cardiac arrest.

It is noteworthy here that the Malaysian officials accept migrant workers only on the basis of medical fitness procedures. One in ten workers are returned from Malaysia on medical grounds, even before taking up jobs.

Whereas, rights activists cite workplace safety as one of the major challenges for Nepali workers in Malaysia.

Nepali officials are hopeful of the study they are carrying out to trace out the mystery behind migrant deaths. So far, the Nepal Government has not done anything in this regard, other than giving pre-departure orientation to the workers about the culture, climate and rules of the destination nations.

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Nepalese students are attracted to Australia because of the relatively easy process for obtaining the student visa, lower tuition fees and good job prospects. Falling quality of education in Nepal is another factor prompting students to explore options for education abroad. Most of the students are also keen on securing the Permanent Residency (PR) after settling down in their careers.

With an annual growth of around 27 percent, the Nepalese form the fastest growing community in Australia. The fact that Nepali is the second most spoken language other than English in the state of Tasmania speaks for itself.

However, the recent decision of the Australian government to abolish the 457 visa scheme for skilled migrants could affect many Nepalese planning to work in the country. Current holders of 457 visas would not be impacted by the changes and can continue to work in Australia until the expiry of their visa.

Beginning March 2018, prospective immigrants from Nepal and other countries would need to utilize the new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) visa program that comprises a short-term stream for up to two years and a medium term stream for up to four years.

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For many Nepalese aspiring to live the American dream, education is a limiting factor. Nepal’s low literacy rate makes it difficult for many immigrants from the country to find proper employment. Sometimes even well-educated Nepalese, who left good jobs at home to come to the US, find that their degrees and work experience from Nepal are not recognized. There are many instances of professionals, who earlier worked as teachers and engineers in Nepal, having to take up jobs as cab drivers in the US.

Cultural and language differences create a barrier for the Nepalese community in integrating with the local population. Nepalese parents find it especially difficult to raise their children in the new environment. They fear that their traditional methods of parenting, which sometimes includes corporal punishment, may be construed as domestic violence and lead to their deportation. Kids on the other hand are often subjected to bullying and discrimination in schools.

Finding safe and affordable housing is another problem for immigrants with low-paying jobs. Most of the Nepalese students in the US have to struggle for financing their tuition and expenses by working long hours at odd jobs in grocery stores, gas pumps and restaurants.

Undocumented workers in particular are very vulnerable to exploitation and do not have access to basic services such as health insurance. They also live under the constant fear of being deported.

There are also concerns regarding the policies of the present United States government towards immigration and their impact on Nepal. Even though the US has been one of Nepal’s major development partners for over half a century and accommodates a large number of immigrants from Nepal each year, Nepalese are worried about the possible modifications to the US Diversity Visa lottery program under the Trump regime.

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However, as per the estimates of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), there are roughly 40,000 Nepalis working without valid permits in Malaysia. During the recent crackdown on illegal migrant workers by the Malaysian government, more than 100 Nepalis were detained along with workers from other nations.

Though the Malaysian government had launched a scheme in February this year wherein the 600,000 undocumented foreign workers could register themselves for the Enforcement Card or E-card, only 150,000 people availed the opportunity. With the passing of the deadline to register on 30 June, the government has launched a massive operation to flush out the illegal migrant workers.

The Government of Nepal is putting in all efforts to ensure the safety of the Nepali citizens arrested during the crackdown in Malaysia and bring them back to Nepal. Foreign employment experts feel that remittance inflows to Nepal would be severely affected if all the undocumented workers are deported back to their country.

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