The number of Nepalis intending to stay in the Asian financial hub drastically increased after the Hong Kong government closed door for Nepali workers in 2005, citing five major reasons, including the involvement of Nepalis in criminal activities and unfavorable political situation then.
In a bid to reopen the lucrative labor market of Hong Kong for Nepali workers, a high-level Nepali delegation led by Purna Chandra Bhattarai, joint secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM), had recently met officials of Hong Kong´s immigration and labor department.
“The number of Nepali asylum seekers has increased to 152 during the last nine months of the current fiscal year 2008/09 from 16 recorded in 2006, a year after Hong Kong stopped granting work visa to Nepalis,” Bhattarai said, while briefing MoLTM Secretary Baburam Acharya about the achievements of the team´s visit, on Sunday.
According to Bhattarai, number of Nepali asylum seekers in Hong Kong has reached more than 400 so far, which is hardly two percent of total immigrants taking refuge in Hong Kong.
Bhattarai also said the trend of Nepalis ending up as asylum seekers in Hong Kong is increasing. Most of them enter Hong Kong via Macau, China and India. “Most of the Nepalis reaching Hong Kong have got refugee status thanks to the liberal immigration policy,” Bhattarai told Republica.
He also said the Hong Kong officials stopped hiring Nepali workers, citing Maoist insurgency, weak administrative mechanism, tendency of Nepali workers to seek refugee status upon their arrival, increasing involvement in criminal activities, less financial significance of Nepal for Hong Kong and lack of skilled workforce.
“We apprised the Hong Kong officials about the changed political situation and legal provisions of Nepal and expressed commitment to improve the skill of Nepali workers vying Hong Kong jobs,” Bhattarai said, adding that the delegation also requested the Hong Kong officials to immediately open Hong Kong at least for domestic helpers.
Hong Kong officials have responded positively to the request by Nepali delegation and committed to review the existing ban on Nepali workers within a couple of months.
Acharya said the government would mobilize diplomatic channels, including Nepalese Consular General´s Office in Hong Kong, to facilitate the removal of ban on Nepali workers at the earliest.
Officials say the prospect of employing 15,000 to 20,000 additional Nepali workers in different sectors, including domestic works and service sector, is high in Hong Kong where they earn at least Rs 30,000 a month, excluding other benefits. More than 700 Nepalis, majority of which are women, are employed in Hong Kong, which is home to around 18,000 Nepali. Most of them are Hong Kong ID holders.
Related story
2 Nepali asylum seekers escape from PNG’s detention center
