This combo photo shows new international airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara.
KATHMANDU: Workers heading to Qatar for foreign employment are currently required to come to the Qatar Visa Center in Kathmandu for visa processing. Malaysia-bound must also come to Kathmandu for health check-ups, biometrics and other procedures.
Workers headed to South Korea and Israel for employment must visit the Vocational and Skill Development Training Center in Bhaisepati, Lalitpur, for health check-ups and skills tests.
The government has said that all these services will now be available in Pokhara and Bhairahawa. The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security has decided to provide all foreign employment services from Bhairahawa and Pokhara as part of the government plans to attract carriers to Bhairahawa International Airport and Pokhara International Airport. Likewise, ministry officials say they have requested the Qatari authorities to establish Qatar Visa Centers in Bhairahawa and Pokhara through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
However, it will be difficult to implement this decision immediately as the ministry has not initiated discussions on amending the relevant laws, rules and procedures to decentralize foreign employment mechanisms to all provinces. In the absence of legal amendments, it is currently not possible for workers heading to foreign job destinations to fly directly from Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports.
Govinda Prasad Rijal, the spokesperson for the labor ministry, said they would initially start services from labor offices which are providing labor re-approval services and gradually expand services. “The decision has been made to start all necessary mechanisms for foreign employment workers from Bhairahawa and Pokhara. Foreign employment offices are being established in all seven provinces under the Department of Foreign Employment. All services for workers going for foreign employment will be operated from these offices,” he added.
According to the ministry, it plans to divert 30% of its workload to offices in Pokhara and Bhairahawa.
Services Likely from Sept
The labor ministry is preparing to start labor approval, health check-ups, orientation/training, and issuance of foreign employment term insurance, visa, and character certificates from Bhairahawa and Pokhara by September. Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, Sharat Singh Bhandari, said that the government is moving to fully decentralize foreign employment labor approval and bring all services to the provincial level. He added that the decentralization of foreign employment is aimed at facilitating the operation of new international airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara.
“Once all the services start from Pokhara and Bhairahawa, workers won’t need to come to Kathmandu,” he said.
Minister Bhandari says all institutions providing services to foreign employment workers have been urged to open branch offices in Bhairahawa and Pokhara and start operations soon.
Employment expert Jeevan Baniya suggested that the government develop all policies and procedures before taking foreign employment services to the provinces. “While decentralizing foreign employment services to provinces is a positive step, it should be aware of the problems that may arise in the future and prepare accordingly,” he added.
