The government is preparing to appoint labour attaches in seven more labor destinations -- Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Israel, Hong Kong, Bahrain and Oman, keeping in view the increasing number of Nepali workers there.

According to an official at the Ministry of Transport Management (MoLTM,  the government will appoint under-secretary level officers for Japan and South Korea, whereas sections officers will be sent  in other five countries as labour attaches.

Of the seven destinations, only South Korea and Bahrain have signed labour agreement with Nepal. The government has signed an agreement with Japan to send Nepali industrial trainees to Japan, whereas diplomatic efforts are on to open labour market of Hong Kong for Nepali workers. Hong Kong shut doors for Nepali workers from 2005. The number of Nepali female workers is higher than Nepali male workers in Kuwait.

As per the Labor Act, 2007, the government has to appoint labor attaches to countries having more than 5,000 Nepali workers.

“We have selected seven more countries to deploy labour attaches, keeping in view the increasing number of workers, rising job-related cases and suggestions from concerned ambassadors,” said the official.

The MoLTM will do necessary preparation with other ministries -- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of General Administration and the Ministry of Finance for budget allocation, quotas and resources and to request them to coordinate with Nepali missions in those countries.

The government has already sent four labour attaches to four destinations -- Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates -- which are the most popular destinations for Nepali workers. Under-secretaries Binod Khanal and Surya Prasad Bhandari have been appointed as labor attaches for Saudi Arabia and Malaysia respectively. Likewise, section officers Dhruba Prasad Koirala and Parvati Aryal have been deputed in Qatar and the UAE respectively.