MoU aiming to bring migrant workers under SSF signed

KATHMANDU: Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, Sher Bahadur Kunwar, has pressed an idea for involving Nepali migrant workers in the social security scheme.

In his address to a workshop on ‘Foreign Employment: Investment in Social Security and Foreign Currency Reserve’ organized by the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) here today, the Minister said the government should have its own model to incorporate foreign migrant workers in the Social Security Fund (SSF).

The Minister stressed the need of launching a campaign to discourage illegal emigration and ensuring proper utilization of remittance achieved through hardship of migrant workers.

As he said, remittance is being spent for importing luxury items, sending the amount back to aboard. “Ways should be explored to end this situation.”

Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harish Chandra Ghimire said the government accorded high priority to the utilization of skills and knowledge of non-resident Nepalis for the economic development of the nation.

As he said, investment of income through foreign jobs in productive sector back home would do well for the nation.

Former attorney general Ramesh Badal said more efforts are needed to address issues in the social security program while secretary at the Ministry, Ek Narayan Aryal, suggested maximum efforts are made from the government level to systematize the foreign employment.

According to him, a total of 600 thousand Nepali left the country as migrant workers last fiscal year (2021-22) and so far 4.6 million have received labor permit. He said the government is working to remove legal and policy-level hurdles so as to connect such a number of migrant workers in the social security scheme.

Social Security Fund (SSF) Executive Director Kapil Gyawali said they have prepared an action plan to incorporate all workers in it.

NRNA President Kul Acharya said the size of Nepal’s income from foreign employment could go double if it could send skilled workforce.

On the occasion, it was shared that just 10 percent of remittance is used in income generating activities.

The NRNA and SSF signed a Memorandum of Understanding aims to bring migrant workers in the Fund.