Foreign Employment: Why the Rule Prohibiting Nepalese Workers’ Overseas Dispatch via India Displeases ‘Manpower’ Business Operators

During the expansion of Tribhuvan International Airport, when operational hours were limited, the government issued warnings to nearly 600 manpower companies about the misuse of permissions granted about a year ago to use Indian airports. Mira Acharya, Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment, stated that according to the Foreign Employment Act, since there is currently no emergency situation and there is no shortage of tickets on domestic flights, taking punitive action based on a decision made two years ago would be “illegal.”

However, the federation representing foreign employment agencies claims that around 598 such agencies have been penalized for adhering to the previous government order. In an interview with BBC, Dik Bahadur Khatri, President of the Nepal Foreign Employment Association, said, “The decision made under special circumstances did not clearly specify that only Nepal’s airports must be used once normal conditions resumed.”

Meanwhile, Department Director General Mira Acharya informed BBC that long-term regular operations have continued at Kathmandu airport following its maintenance and normal conditions have been restored, emphasizing, “There is no need to repeatedly issue notices to enforce the law.” Following government awareness measures, the dispatch of workers from India to labor destinations has now stopped, and officials have stated that if a third warning becomes necessary, the department holds the authority to revoke licenses.