KATHMANDU: The number of Nepali workers receiving labor approval for foreign employment declined by 4.11% in the first two months of the current fiscal year 2026/27 compared to the same period a year earlier.
According to the Department of Foreign Employment, a total of 130,483 Nepalis obtained foreign employment permits between mid-July to mid-September. During the corresponding period of last year, 136,082 workers had received such approval.
In Bhadra (mid-Aug to mid-Sept) alone, 60,042 workers, including 9,969 women, received approval to work abroad. Of the total, 35,627 workers received new approval, while the remaining 24,415 received re-entry permits.
Among those receiving foreign employment approvals in Bhadra, 25,415 received labor approvals through recruitment agencies, while 9,224 obtained individual labor permits. Another 866 workers were set to travel through government-to-government arrangements.
The government has been sending Nepali workers to two countries through government-to-government arrangements – South Korea and Israel. Data show 789 received labor approval for South Korea while the remaining 77 were granted approval for Israel during the review month.
The United Arab Emirates remained the largest destination for Nepali migrant workers during the month. A total of 12,451 Nepalis received approval to work in the UAE in Bhadra, followed by 5,366 for Malaysia and 2,505 for Qatar. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were the next major destinations, with 2,374 and 2,230 workers, respectively.
A total of 70,441, including 9,969 women, had received approval for foreign employment in Shrawan (mid-July to mid-Aug).
Foreign employment has become an important aspect of Nepali society, with remittance inflows providing a key source of foreign exchange and supporting household consumption.
The latest macroeconomic situation report of the Nepal Rastra Bank shows that remittance inflows to Nepal increased by 21.2% to Rs 215.05 billion in Shrawan (mid-July to mid-Aug).
