Manpower Agencies Required to Monitor Conditions of Nepali Workers Sent Abroad for Employment
June 23, Kathmandu — It has become evident that manpower agencies must regularly monitor the conditions, workplace environment, and challenges faced by Nepali workers sent abroad for foreign employment. Following directives from the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Foreign Employment has issued a public notice instructing manpower agencies to submit monitoring reports on worker conditions every three months.
In line with this, the Department recently issued a notification directing foreign employment agencies to maintain records through systematic monitoring of the workers they have deployed overseas and to provide necessary information to the department. The Foreign Employment Act and its regulations stipulate that agencies must gather information on workers’ conditions after their deployment, including working environments, wages and benefits, and whether employers are honoring contractual agreements.
However, in practice, most agencies focus primarily on the recruitment and deployment process, a concern frequently raised by workers and stakeholders. With the number of migrant workers steadily increasing, the department emphasizes the need for effective monitoring in destination countries to ensure their safety, rights, and welfare even after deployment. The department appeals to manpower agencies to fulfill their responsibilities proactively rather than waiting until workers encounter problems before taking action.
Common issues affecting workers include non-payment of wages, failure to receive work as per contracts, passport confiscation, forced workplace relocations, and labor exploitation, often without timely support for workers. Legal provisions require manpower companies to collect preliminary information on such issues and take steps toward resolution. Labor and migration expert Rameshwar Nepal views the monitoring mandate as a positive and responsible measure. According to him, this system will help eliminate the prevailing misconception among manpower agencies that their responsibility ends once the worker is sent abroad.
Experts from Nepal have advised the government not only to implement monitoring but also to develop clear, measurable indicators for assessment. Such indicators might include verification of salary payments (e.g., copies of pay slips), working hours, and living conditions. Having these metrics would facilitate manpower agencies in monitoring and enable the department to effectively evaluate compliance.
