Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) said the number of workers leaving for different countries rose to 152,081 in the period, up from 140,359 during the same period last year. [break]
Malaysia and Saudi Arabia became the first and second largest recipients of Nepali workers. While Saudi Arabia received 46,294 workers, Malaysia accepted 35,310 workers during the period. Last year, the numbers were 27,002 and 29,189 respectively.
However, the number of workers leaving for Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) declined to 33,454 and 20,120 from 46,939 and 20,507, respectively, last year.
Manpower agencies said the gradual recovery in the economies of Saudi Arabia and Malaysia pushed the number of overseas departures.
While calculating the monthly figure, the departure of Nepali job seekers to international labor markets rose to 26,000 during mid-January to mid-February, from 25,280 during the same month last year.
“We are receiving encouraging demands from Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and other major sectors, so we expect more departures in the coming days,” said Gyan Prasad Gaire, general secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies.
Number of workers leaving for Malaysia and Saudi Arabia rose to 10,354 and 5,243 during mid-January to mid-February from 7,865 and 4,949 respectively a month earlier.
Mohan Krishna Sapkota, the director general of the DoFE, said the demand of Nepali workers has increased in manufacturing, construction and security sectors.
However, Qatar and the UAE received 5,006 and 2,929 workers during mid-January to mid-February, down from 5,765 and 3,900 respectively in the previous month.
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