KATHMANDU: In what came as an ear soothing news to migrant workers, Malaysia, and Gulf countries have gradually started increasing facilities to the migrant workers. Now that, the migrant workers, too, would be entitled to the basic facilities at par with the workers of the host country’s citizen as per the international standard.

Moreover, these countries need to ensure the security of migrant workers at the time of recruiting them. If everything goes according to the arrangement, Nepali migrant workers currently working in different Gulf countries and Malaysia would be provided salary and facilities at par with the workers of the respective countries, according to the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security.

Over 2 crore foreign workers enter the Gulf countries alone every year, according to the Asian Trade Union. Around 5 crore migrant workers.

Nepali workers have also been working in different countries such as Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. Despite the government’s prohibition, a significant number of Nepali workers – both male and female — are working in Iraq.

Meanwhile, a total of 400,000 Nepali workers fly to Malaysia and Gulf countries each year, according to a data available at the Department of Foreign Employment.

Krishna Prasad Dhakal, Nepali Ambassador to UAE informed that the Nepal government has been lobbying with the concerned country authorities to ensure salary and facilities to Nepali migrant workers as per the international standard.

Ambassador Dhakal informed that the Gulf countries, too, have been positive in this regard adding that the salary and facilities of the Nepali migrant workers have been guaranteed in line with the labor agreement signed in last Jestha.

Nepali workers have also been working in different countries such as Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq. Despite the government’s prohibition, a significant number of Nepali workers – both male and female — are working in Iraq.

Likewise, Malaysia has remained one of the favored destinations for Nepali migrant workers.

Around 17 lakh Nepali migrant workers have been currently working in Malaysia and Gulf countries, according to government data.

The UAE government has given permission to the migrant workers to bring their family members with them to the UAE.  However, migrant workers need to make a monthly income of at least 3,500 Dirham. Nepali migrant workers earn at least 9 hundred Dirham per month.

The UAE had last year announced of providing salary and other facilities, including education, health, and insurance at par with its workers which means that the children of migrant workers would be provided education facilities. A total of 400,000 Nepali migrants are estimated to have been currently working in UAE, according to government data.

Meanwhile, the governments of the UAE and Qatar have given the privilege to change the company six months after starting to work in a company. Around 5 lakh Nepali workers are currently working in Qatar as migrant workers.

Likewise, the Malaysian government has been recruiting migrant workers by formulating a labor act. It is also working to encompass migrant workers within the social security fund. Nepali migrant workers get a minimum of 1,100 Ringgit per month. Around 4 lakh Nepali migrant workers are currently working in Malaysia.