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| Kathmandu, Tuesday March 18, 2003 Chaitra 04, 2059. |
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More Nepalis likely to get job
abroad
Post Report
KATHMANDU, March 17 : More Nepali youths are
expected to fly abroad for employment soon as the government has initiated process to sign
agreements with various developed countries including the USA, South Korea and Japan.
The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management
(MLTM) has been involved in promoting foreign employment.
The initiations of the government to finalise
the agreement on foreign employment with the three countries has come at a time when
remittance has been the major source of national income. Over Rs 74 billion flows into the
country each year as remittance, making contribution of almost 18 per cent to the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).
With increasing significance of foreign
employment in the remittance, the present government, soon after its formation had decided
to promote foreign employment as a major foreign exchange earner in the aftermath of
declining exports of carpets and garments and downward trend in tourism.
Talking to The Kathmandu Post, Minister for
Labour and Transport Management, Kamal Prasad Chaulagain confirmed of the preliminary
development in the employment agreement with Japan and the USA.
"We have recently negotiated with the
Japanese employment provider -JIDCO to allow Nepali youths for lucrative jobs in
Japan," he said. Additionally, in a bid to ensure suitable job for most Nepali -
JIDCO and Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has already
started to explore potential jobs in Japan for Nepali youths.
Highly placed officials of the MLTM hinted that
with the recent preliminary deal of the government with Japan and the USA, chances are
high that Nepali youths get lucrative jobs there. Once the deal is finalised and comes
into force, Nepali will be earning at least Rs 100,000 per month in Japan and the USA.
Besides, countries like South Korea and Israel (with which Nepal is making efforts to sign
agreements) will also provide a minimum of Rs 50,000 monthly salary to Nepali youths.
To ensure that Nepali may not be deprive of
pre-arranged jobs abroad as has been the case lately, due mainly to delay in visa
approval, the government has also requested Nepal based US embassy to relax various terms
while granting visa to Nepali.
"We need to convince the US Government that
our workers would not overstay," added Minister Chaulagain. In order to further the
process, a joint team of senior ministry officials, US ambassador and representatives from
private sector are leaving for the US soon to explore employment opportunities, informed
the minister.
Also an official delegation led by Lalit Bahadur
Thapa, Director General of Department of Labour and Employment Promotion (DLEP) is leaving
for South Korea in order to clear the controversy surrounding the recent job offers to
over 4,000 Nepali youths made by South Korea.
Korean Federation of Small and Medium Business
(KFSMB) has shown laxity in allowing the employment to Nepali youths due mainly to the
growing conflict between the local government and Nepal United Association of Manpower
Entrepreneurs (NUAME) on who should be authorised to supply Nepali workers.
"Any chance of revocation from the Korean
party will be minimised during our upcoming visit to Korea," said Thapa. Withdrawal
chances of the employment offer from the Korean party loomed large of late when NUAME
demanded the government to authorise them for supplying Nepali manpower. The government
however ignored their demand and recommended five local foreign employment agencies to
KFSMB for authorisation of supplying manpower.
The ministry is also prepared to delegate
authority to the Department of Employment Promotion for approving the files of individual
seeking foreign employment. "As there has been the frequent complaints that the
ministry takes unnecessarily long time to give permission, we are soon to delegate our
authority to lower level," the minister said.
If the authority is delegated to the lower
level, it is expected to minimise the chances of Nepalis losing jobs abroad due to delay
departure.
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