The government has taken action against 53 organizations for employing 108 foreigners, who had not acquired work permit for employment in Nepal, as per the Labor Act 1992 and Nepal Government Business Allocation Regulations 2012. 

The Department of Labor (DoL) extracted Rs 10,000 in fine from each of the 103 foreign workers from 50 different organizations for taking up employment in Nepal without acquiring work permit. 

Those facing government action include INGOs, NGOs, colleges, schools, hospitals and private firms, among others. However, the department has provided the non-Nepali employees of these organizations six-month work permit. 

“We fined the organizations for violating the labor law by employing foreigners without work permit,” Krishna Hari Pushkar, director general of DoL told Republica. He said the department later issued them work permits after they applied for the same.

DoL had asked these organizations to furnish clarification for employing foreigners without work permit. “We will renew their work permits only if they abide by the law,” said Pushkar.

Likewise, DoL has rejected applications of five foreigners seeking work permits as they did not meet eligibility criteria for employment in Nepal. According to DoL, these include three non-Nepalis employed by Ncell, one by Upper Trishuli 3A and one by Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Ltd (KUKL). 

According to Pushkar, DoL has also sought action against The Carter Center and Lincoln School for hiring foreign nationals illegally. Meanwhile, DoL has also issued a new guideline on January 10 to make the process of issuing work permits simple, transparent and effective. 

DoL has also provided a three-month grace period for those who have been working without valid work permits to apply for permit renewal. “Action would not be taken against those who renew their work permits within the grade period. However, we will take action if such foreign employees do not renew their work permits within the grace period,” Pushkar warned. It is estimated that around 20,000 foreigners are working in different sectors without acquiring work permit.

Published on: 19 January 2014 | Republica