Kathmandu, August 17
The Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies has announced that manpower agencies across the country will shut down from today. The decision comes after talks with the government failed to reach an agreement within the deadline set by the association. Manpower operators will stop sending workers abroad for employment from today.
The association has put forward a 15-point list of demands, including a revision of the service fees charged by manpower agencies. The agencies are set to close their offices nationwide, saying the government has failed to address their demands. Association President Dik Bahadur Khatri said the association is pursuing negotiations with the government while continuing its protest programs.
“We are now going to the Ministry of Youth and Employment for discussions,” Khatri told Onlinekhabar.
The association also held preliminary discussions with the ministry on Friday. During the meeting, representatives of the agencies briefed officials on their demands and presented their position. Ministry officials, meanwhile, shared updates on the progress and work being carried out by the ministry.
On July 22, the association held a special gathering of foreign employment business operators and submitted a 15-point list of demands to the government. The demands include setting the service fee that workers going abroad for employment must pay to manpower agencies and withdrawing disciplinary action taken by the Department of Foreign Employment, among others.
