KATHMANDU: As many as 280,000 Nepali migrant workers have been forced to return home after losing their jobs due to Coronavirus pandemic.
According to a recent study made by Foreign Employment Board (FEB), the Nepali migrant workers potentially to lose their jobs are 30,000 in Malaysia, 70,000 in Qatar, 100,000 in Saudi Arabia, 55,000 in the UAE, 15,000 in Kuwait, 7,000 in Bahrain and 3,000 in Oman.
Similarly, 127,000 people including those whose visas expired during the lockdown and those who have been granted amnesty have been stranded in various countries.
According to the FEB, such migrant workers are 7,000 in Malaysia, 75,000 in Qatar, 20,000 in Saudi Arabia, 12,000 in UAE, 9,000 in Kuwait, 3,500 in Bahrain and 500 in Oman.
Meanwhile, there have been grievances that the Nepali Embassies based in the employment proving countries and the concerned bodies are not paying heed to their woes and demands.
The FEB has also suggested that the concerned bodies including embassies have to take stock of the details of migrant workers, problems being faced by them, and the countries.
The Nepal government also has to gauze the level of risk faced by the migrant workers and provide basic services including food and allocate budget, accordingly, suggests the FEB.
Besides, arrangement of airfare, screening for Coronavirus, transportation from the shelter to the airport and security measures during the travel are other suggestions made by the FEB.
Similarly, the government has to set up health desk at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for foreign-returnees, arrange a special coronavirus screening site, temporary quarantine, and hand them over to their respective provinces after coronavirus screening.
Earlier, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali had said the government is making preparations to rescue migrant workers.
Nepali migrant workers are desperately waiting to return home. Around 2,800 such Nepali migrants are in Kuwait alone.
Malaysia has directed those whose visas expired since January 1 to return home within 14 days of the expiry of the lockdown imposed by the country.
Similarly, the UAE has said that those whose visas expired since May 18, who have been granted amnesty and those staying illegally can return home within three months.
Comment