Secretary pledges to implement free visa and ticket for migrant workers

Kathmandu / December 14: Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Employment Ram Kumar Acharya on Monday said the foreign employment act would soon be enacted to make the foreign employment business disciplined and transparent.

At an interaction held by Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB) and Foreign Employment Journalists Society here, Secretary Acharya said the act was in final stage of amendment and stressed on the necessity of suggestions and support of the concerned stakeholders in the undertaking.

The Secretary spoke of his resolve to help implement the provision for free visa and ticketing for aspiring migrant workers as it would be in their interest.

The Ministry’s Spokesperson Govinda Mani Bhurtel said an agreement was in the offing in between Saudi Arabia and Nepal for providing facilities to the Nepali workers heading there in par with international standards. He said the Ministry was facing hurdles in administrative works due to absence of a political leadership.

FEPB Director Umakanta Poudel warned of taking stringent action against businessmen and organizations selling the tickets and visas received freely from the destination countries to the workers.

Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (Nafea) President Bimal Dhakal attributed the additional problems faced by the government to its lack of preparedness while arranging for free visas and tickets while stating the necessity for charging minimal fee to send poor Nepali workers to secure employments abroad. RSS