The cases filed against manpower agencies at the Litigation and Inspection Section (LIS) under the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) increased by more than 32 per cent in the first seven months of the current fiscal year when compared to figures of the corresponding period the previous year. The figure for this year stands at 782 cases, whereas last year 527 cases were filed in the period. 

Explaining that foreign job seekers are increasingly opting for manpower agencies over individual agents these days, director at LIS Narayan Rimal said, “Hence, complaints lodged against manpower agencies have also gone up in line with the increasing number of people going abroad through them.” 

The total number of cases related to foreign job migrants filed at DoFE for the seven months of this fiscal is 1,362 (against both manpower agencies and individual agents), while it was around 1,263 in the corresponding period last year. 

General secretary at Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) Kamal Tamang, on the other hand, opined that simplification of procedures in filing cases at DoFE could be the reason for increased number of cases. “Previously, mostly the migrants themselves used to file cases after returning to Nepal, however, now it is quite common to see family members filing cases on behalf of foreign migrants.” 

He further said that technological advances have further facilitated the process of bringing the perpetrators to book. 

In this fiscal year, the department has provided total compensation of Rs 42.14 million to victims. Last year, the total compensation amount in the same period was Rs 22.15 million. 

Moreover, within the period of seven months of this fiscal year, cases against individual agents declined by more than 21 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. This year, 580 cases were filed against individuals, against 736 last year. Tamang said NAFEA cracking down on branches and agents’ office that were operating like manpower agencies and involved in fraudulent activities could be the reason for decline. 

The compensation provided to victims of individual agents has, however, increased by 44.5 per cent. This year, Rs 60.25 million was compensated to such victims as opposed to Rs 33.44 million last year. 

Published on: 20 March 2014 | The Himalayan Times