3.3 Nepal Manual Labor
The Nepal Labor Act 2074 (2017) provides for the rights, interest, facilities and safety of workers and employees in Nepal. The work week in Nepal consists of 6 workdays and 1 weekly holiday (Saturday).
Minimum wage standardisation committees at district level fix the minimum labour rates of handling goods and services for the respective districts in the month of July for each Nepali fiscal year. Wage standardisation by the committee sets local wage rates for manual labour, local transportation, engineering costs and construction material costs. Often general labour and transportation market rates in use are found to be higher than the minimum market rates defined by the Federal Government, Provincial Government and district committees.
In 2018, Nepal, a tripartite consultation decided to increase its minimum wage to NPR 13,450 a month (table below), a 39% increase since last revision and since 2005 the purchasing capacity of wage workers has doubled.
Unskilled workers from the bordering Indian states fill the labour supply gaps in Nepal created by the increasing migration of the Nepali workforce. Contract labourers from India find seasonal employment during the planting and harvesting seasons in Nepal; several infrastructure projects such as hydropower and road constructions often employ Indian labourers.
The Government of Nepal, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security prescribed the minimum remuneration/wage of the worker/employees under Section 106 of the Labor Act, 2017 (2074), separated in (a) “Minimum Wage Other than Tea Estate“ and (b) “Minimum Wage Tea Estate “, which has come into effect on August 16, 2018.
Reference: Nepal Department of Labour & Occupational Safety
Minimum Wage
Minimum renumeration/ Wage Basic renumeration Dearness Allowances Total (NPR / USD) (NPR / USD) (NPR / USD)
Monthly 8455 / 75.48 4995 / 44.59 13450 / 120.07
Daily 325 / 2.90 162 / 1.45 517 / 4.62
Hourly 43 / 0.38 26 / 0.23 69 / 0.62
Labour Rate(s) Overview
Cost (Local Currency NPR / Since each district fixes its own rate, the range of USD per day) rates are included here.
Daily General Worker (Unskilled 520-600 / 4.64-5.36 Rate as of 16 July 2019 to 15 July 2020 casual labor) Includes Porter, Guards, Length Worker, etc
Daily General Worker (Semi- 600–700 / 5.36-6.25 Rate as of 16 July 2019 to 15 July 2020 skilled labor) Carpenter, Mason, etc
Skilled Worker 890 / 7.95 Rate as of 16 July 2019 to 15 July 2020
As mandated by the Government of Nepal, each district has responsibility to set labor rate which is updated at the beginning of every fiscal year.
Links to Province 1 District Rate
Link to the district rate for Morang District
Link to the district rate for Bhojpur District
Link to the district rate for Dhankuta District
Link to the district rate for Khotang District
Link to the district rate for Taplejung District
Link to the district rate for Solukhumbu District
Link to the district rate for Udayapur District
Page 1 Links to Province 2 District Rate
Link to the district rate for Dhanusha District
Link to the district rate for Mahottari District
Link to the district rate for Parsa District
Links to Bagmati Province District Rate
Link to the district rate for Rasuwa District
Link to the district rate for Nuwakot District
Link to the district rate for Bhaktapur District
Link to the district rate for Lalitpur District
Link to the district rate for Kavrepalanchok District
Link to the district rate for Makwanpur District
Link to the district rate for Sindhuli District
Links to Gandaki Province District Rate
Link to the district rate for Kaski District
Link to the district rate for Gorkha District
Link to the district rate for Manang District
Link to the district rate for Lamjung District
Link to the district rate for Parbat District
Link to the district rate for Syangja District
Links to Province 5 District Rate
Link to the district rate for Bardiya District
Link to the district rate for Gulmi District
Link to the district rate for Kapilvastu District
Link to the district rate for Pyuthan District
Link to the district rate for Rolpa District
Link to the district rate for Rupandehi District
Link to the district rate for Palpa District
Link to the district rate for Arghakhanchi District
Link to the district rate for Dang District
Links to the Karnali Province District Rate
Link to the district rate for Mugu District
Link to the district rate for Jumla District
Link to the district rate for Dailekh District
Link to the district rate for Surkhet District
Link to the district rate for Salyan District
Links to the Sudurpaschim Province District Rate
Link to the district rate for Achham District
Page 2 Link to the district rate for Baitadi District
Link to the district rate for Bajura District
Link to the district rate for Dadeldhura District
Link to the district rate for Darchula District
Link to the district rate for Kailali District
Link to the district rate for Kanchanpur District
ILO Nepal Labor Market Update
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