Govt decides to lift ban on foreign employment as lockdown measures are relaxed

Kathmandu / June 19: The government has decided to lift the ban it had placed on foreign employment after the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A meeting of the COVID-19 Crisis Management Center held on Friday decided to allow the migrant workers who arrived in Nepal to fly back to their labor destinations. The meeting also decided to allow those going abroad for new jobs.

According to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, those opting to go abroad for work need a recommendation from the Ministry of Labor and Employment. Students choosing to go abroad for studies should receive permission from the Ministry of Education.

Similarly, the meeting has entrusted the Ministry of Labor and Employment with the responsibility of developing a guideline to repatriate Nepali migrant workers, whose employers do not provide any travel cost and those who are not able to bear the travel cost on their own.

The meeting has also decided to improve the physical infrastructure of quarantine facilities and make sure that PCR tests of those staying in quarantine are conducted within two weeks. Provincial governments have been entrusted with the responsibility of monitoring and facilitating this process.

Keeping in view the increasing number of COVID-19 cases each day, the COVID-19 CMC meeting also appealed to all people to avoid unnecessary travel outside their homes and wear masks and maintain physical distance if they cannot avoid traveling outside their homes.