Ten thousand foreign workers in Nepal; highest from China

KATHMANDU, APRIL 3: Nepal largely depends on technical human resources from foreign countries for the implementation of big projects. According to an official data, skilled human resources required for various large projects here are hired from other countries. The Department of Labour and Occupational Safety said the workforce from around 100 countries in the world is currently engaged in various projects in Nepal.

At 7,500, China has supplied the highest number of workers followed by the UK at 488 , the United States of America at 332, South Korea at 240, and India at 230.Similarly, there are 190 workers from Japan, 116 from Australia, 113 from Sri Lanka, 98 from Germany, 79 from France, and 56 from Bangladesh in Nepal.

 Foreign workers are found deputed in technical posts like project engineering, tunnel and hydro-engineering, maintenance engineering and mechanical engineering, according to the Department. There is a provision that a work permit should be obtained from the Department while hiring foreign citizens by employers.

The Department has been issuing work permits to foreign workers as per the Directives related to the Work Permit Management of Foreign Citizens-2075. Director General of the Department, Gnawali, said the work permit to foreign workers is being issued based on the recommendation of the respective Ministry and consent of the Home Ministry while the Department of Immigration provides visas to workers only after the Department provides work permits. The Department provides one-year work permits for foreign workers.

A work permit is issued for skilled technicians for a maximum of five years at different intervals while a maximum of three years for other foreign nationals at different intervals. A foreign worker has to pay Rs 15,000 for six months and Rs 20,000 for more than six months, the Directives.state.

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