June 7, Kathmandu: A government survey reveals that the average first monthly income of Nepali workers abroad is NPR 54,403. The National Statistical Office, with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), conducted the first-ever Migrant Recruitment Cost Survey in Nepal in 2023. The office released the survey results on Tuesday. The sample was selected based on data collected from migrant workers who returned to Nepal after working abroad.
According to the data, the average first monthly income of returning migrant workers is NPR 54,403, while the median income is NPR 44,500. This indicates fewer workers earn high incomes, but their earnings raise the overall average above the median.
The office notes the survey is a household-based sample survey that included 3,742 households nationwide to generate reliable national estimates. Results indicate that among Nepal’s total population of 29.6 million in 2023, approximately 2.45 million (8.3%) have returned as migrants. This includes 1.61 million (5.4%) who went abroad to work and then returned. Among these returning workers, 283,686 (15.7%) had gone abroad for salaried jobs within the past five years.
The survey shows that male migrant workers earn more than their female counterparts on average. The average monthly income for men is NPR 64,721, with a median of NPR 44,505. Women earn an average of NPR 48,647 per month, with a median income of NPR 30,920. This reflects income inequality among Nepali migrant workers abroad.
Malaysia leads in average monthly income, recorded at NPR 57,696 according to the survey. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates follow closely with average incomes around NPR 55,000. India reports the lowest average monthly income of NPR 26,083, with a median income of NPR 24,000.
