Surge in Foreign Employment Migration: UAE, Romania, and Japan Lead the Charge

Kathmandu, May 2025 — Nepal’s foreign labor migration has made a dramatic rebound in the first nine months of the fiscal year 2024/25, with a 9.3% rise in new individual and institutional foreign employment departures compared to the same period last year. After a significant contraction of 15.5% in 2023/24, this resurgence indicates renewed global demand for Nepali workers and a shift in destination preferences.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to be the most preferred destination for Nepalese job seekers, with 141,961 new workers headed there in just nine months—a massive 55.45% increase from the same period last year. This surge marks the UAE as the single-largest destination, accounting for nearly 40% of total new deployments. Similarly, Saudi Arabia attracted 57,938 new migrants, maintaining its stronghold with a stable 16.2% share, while Qatar, recovering from a minor dip last year, registered 36,556 workers, showing a 17.07% increase.

Notably, European destinations like Romania and Japan are emerging as new migration hotspots. Romania recorded a 97.53% spike, jumping from just over 8,000 to more than 15,800 workers. Japan too saw a significant uptick of 71.4%, surpassing 13,200 entries. This trend reflects Nepal’s labor diversification strategy, moving beyond traditional Gulf countries towards new labor markets that offer higher wages and better working conditions.

Conversely, some countries witnessed sharp declines. Malaysia, historically one of the largest labor destinations, saw an astonishing 97.98% drop, from nearly 60,000 entries to just over 1,200 in 2024/25. Factors contributing to this fall could include changing labor policies, automation in manufacturing, or unresolved bilateral labor issues. Poland also saw an 84.71% reduction, while Malta and South Korea experienced significant slowdowns.

On the other hand, the trend of "renew entries" — workers returning to the same foreign jobs — presents a more stable picture. Renewals increased by 18.2%, reaching 249,652 during the nine-month period. Qatar led this category too with 67,994 returning workers, followed by Saudi Arabia (59,119) and the UAE (54,960). These figures suggest ongoing demand and worker satisfaction in previous contracts.

Interestingly, Kuwait saw a nearly 95.36% increase in re-entries, showing strong bilateral cooperation and demand in sectors like construction and domestic work. Romania’s re-entry trend also skyrocketed by 137.84%, pointing to improved labor retention and favorable conditions for Nepalese workers. Malta and Poland also recorded substantial renewals, despite drops in new entries — indicating that while fewer new workers are going, the ones already there are returning for additional terms.

Smaller destinations like Jordan, Lebanon, and Afghanistan remain marginal, though Lebanon saw a 333% increase in new entries, albeit from a very low base. South Korea, despite government-sponsored employment programs (EPS), saw a 15.6% decrease in new hires and only marginal re-entries, possibly due to strict quotas and language exam requirements.

The total number of new migrants in 2024/25 stands at 358,222, while renewed entries reached 249,652, bringing the combined figure to over 600,000 Nepalese working abroad. These figures underscore the critical role that foreign employment plays in Nepal’s economy, particularly through remittances, which constitute nearly one-fourth of the national GDP.

In conclusion, while Gulf nations still dominate in volume, the data shows Nepalese workers are increasingly exploring newer, more diverse markets, particularly in Europe and East Asia. This evolution in migration patterns presents both opportunities and challenges for the Government of Nepal, which must now focus on enhancing labor diplomacy, streamlining overseas recruitment processes, and ensuring the protection and skill development of migrant workers.