Government of Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (SAMRIDDHI) , Sunsari Nepal

Report on Returnee Migrants Survey 2020

Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (SAMRIDDHI) Project Management Office, Itahari, Sunsari

Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...... 1 ABSTRACT ...... 2 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ...... 4 1.1 Background of the Study...... 4 1.2 Objectives of the study: ...... 4 1.3 Project Introduction: ...... 4 1.4 Limitation of the study: ...... 5 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY ...... 6 2.1 Methods and Tools: ...... 6 2.2 Sample Size ...... 6 2.3 Orientation and Training to Staffs: ...... 6 2.4 Questionnaire ...... 6 2.5 Data Analysis ...... 6 3.1 Respondents District wise ...... 7 3.2 Respondents Province wise ...... 9 3.3 Respondents Gender wise ...... 10 3.4 Respondents Country wise ...... 10 3.5 Category wise data of Country ...... 11 3.6 Job Experience in Destination Country ...... 12 3.7 Job Experience in Destination Country (Province wise) ...... 13 3.8 Additional Skill ...... 13 3.9 Plan to return destination country ...... 14 3.10 Desired Enterprise ...... 15 3.11 Required Support ...... 15 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION ...... 17 4.1 Major Findings: ...... 17 4.2 Conclusion: ...... 17 4.3 Recommendations: ...... 18 Annexes ...... 19 Annex 1: Questionnaire ...... 19 References ...... 21

List of Tables

Table 1: Respondents District wise ...... 7 Table 2: Respondents Province wise ...... 9 Table 3: Respondents Gender wise ...... 10 Table 4: Respondents Country wise ...... 10 Table 5: Category wise data of Country ...... 11 Table 6: Job Experience in Destination Country ...... 12 Table 7:Job Experience in Destination Country (Province wise) ...... 13 Table 8: Additional Skill ...... 13 Table 9:Plan to return destination country ...... 14 Table 10:Desire Enterprise...... 15 Table 10: Require Support ...... 15

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It gives us an immense pleasure to express our deepest gratitude to Mr. Shalik Ram Dahal, Project Manager for his words of encouragement for the preparation of this report. We would sincerely like to pay my regards to RERP district level MRC/MID staffs, Supply Chain Supervisors, Economic Development Facilitators for providing the data from the field. Without your presence the data collection for this report wouldn’t have been possible. We would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the respondents who helped us to collect the data and resources for this report. We would also like to especially mention thematic heads and Corridor Coordinators for being supportive during the report period.

Migration Team Sub-Component 2.2 Project Management Office, RERP Itahari, Sunsari

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ABSTRACT

Migration is an inevitable phenomenon. The movement of people from one place to another began with the start of human civilization. The pull and push factors instigate the movement of people. The movement is motivated mostly by fear of danger i.e. safety and security reasons. The current trend of foreign labor migration from Nepal has been a major make of political chaos, a decade-long civil war, poverty, unemployment and other social and economic factors. While remittance has helped to sustain several households and state’s economy, the human security concerns of Nepalese migrant labour is often questionable. When migrant workers deal with any sorts of torture, abuse, sexual exploitation, discrimination, hazardous working environment in the host countries it becomes the priority of the native country to solve them in diplomatic capacity. As COVID-19 has been impacting the whole life of society, migrant workers are the most vulnerable group. They have been facing different problems in the destination countries.

The Nepalese government must take the responsibility to repatriate, compensate and reintegrate the stranded migrant workers abroad. Many of the Nepalese migrants have travelled back home which adds on challenges to remittance driven economy like Nepal. This study aims to understand how COVID-19 has affected Nepali migrant workers, possession of their skills and, the expectations from various governing institutions in dealing with the contemporary situation.

Both primary and secondary methods have been used for collecting the data resource. The report consolidates recommendation at the policy and institutional level. The findings outlined from this report would be useful in adding valuable knowledge and prominent guidelines for the future.

Keywords: returnees, MRC, COVID-19, enterprises, skills

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ABBREVIATIONS

CCI : Chamber of Commerce and Industries CMIR : Center for Migration and International Relations

COVID-19: Corona Virus Disease-19

EDF : Economic Development Facilitators

FEB : Foreign Employment Board

GALs : Gender Action Learning System

GCC : Gulf Cooperation Council

GDP : Gross Domestic Product

GoN : Government of Nepal

IFAD : International Fund for Agriculture Development

IOM : International Organization for Migration

MID : Migration Information Desk

MoICS : Ministry of Industries, Commerce, and Supplies

MRC : Migration Resource Center

OMS : Office Monitoring System

RERP : Rural Enterprises and Remittance Project

RMSE : Rural Micro Small Enterprise

UAE : United Arab Emirates

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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The foreign labor migration from Nepal has been rapidly accelerating in the past couple of decades as it has been a strategy of survival for many Nepalese men and women. Presently, nearly half Nepali households have at least one member abroad or having returnee from foreign employment. The current trend of foreign labor migration from Nepal has been a major make of political chaos, a decade-long insurgency, poverty, unemployment and other social and economic factor. According to Economic survey report (2019), 25.4% of the Nepalese GDP covers the remittance contributed by the migrants labour abroad. Listed as one of the top remittance receiving states by the World Bank (2016), Nepal’s GDPs is reliant on it which makes Nepal a remittance driven state. While remittance has helped to sustain several households and simultaneously also the state’s economy, a lingering concern with this is the question of the human cost and survival of Nepalese migrants. Foreign labor migrants often have to deal with various sorts of torture, abuse, sexual exploitation, discrimination, hazardous working environment in the foreign nations. In the year 2020 breakdown of pandemic caused by Corona Virus, COVID-19 disease affected the health of people as well the world economy. Many of the states imposed couple of month’s lockdown other than in necessary services which created a huge job loss in countries economy. During this period a lot of Nepalese migrant workers abroad have been affected on various grounds such as job loss, undocumented terms, completion of contract, amnesty avail, untimely payment, COVID-19 infected, deceased, and psycho social disorders. These migrant labours abroad have opted to come back home due to existing pandemic. Many Nepalese migrant labours from India have returned home due to easy access of open border even during the lockdown period. There are unaccounted numbers of people who used uncommon routes to come back while others have taken shelter in local quarantines before reaching home. The Government of Nepal through its mission abroad is preparing on the repatriation of migrant workers from GCC and Malaysia from first week of June.

This study desires to accomplish the study of returnee data in RERP functioning districts based on the returnees from India and migrant workers from abroad who had come for their holidays, renewal of the contract, and after completion of job. The study sets the grounds to find out the skill sets of the returnees and their desired future prospects.

1.2 Objectives of the study: The general purpose of this study is to analyze the returnee data from the project districts. The study has other objectives as follows: • To collect the data of returnee from various labour destination countries during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. • To study about the acquired employment generation programme and desired job approached by the returnee migrants to break re-migration cycle in the RERP districts. • To mobilize the finding of the study for the reintegration of the returnee migrants.

1.3 Project Introduction:

The Rural Enterprises and Remittances Project (RERP) "SAMRIDDHI" is a joint project of the Government of Nepal (GoN) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). GoN and IFAD signed the Financing agreement for the Project on 10 December 2015 and are expected to be completed by December 2022. Its strategic goal is to “reducing poverty 4 and achieve sustainable peace through employment-focused, equitable and inclusive economic development”. As its name suggest, Samriddhi is not to promote migration, but rather to, firstly, promote better local economic opportunities and, secondly, to enable those that still choose to migrate or who are returning to be better able to gain the full benefits of migration as a transformative step in their families’ economic livelihoods. RERP proposes to boost-up the inclusive growth of markets and for agricultural products and the development of associated local clusters through which poorer smallholder producers can benefit alongside others. The Project covers16 districts of Province 1,2 and BagmatinamelyMorang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Khotang, Terhathum, Udayapur, Bara, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Okhaldhunga and Sindhuli.

The project targets a total outreach of 200,000 people as primary beneficiaries to alleviate poverty which consists of 50% of women, 60% of youth population of migrant family and returnees (18-40 age group).The project categorizes 10,000 households to be benefitted by the Supply chain agricultural cluster, CCI’s in districts and province to facilitate Agro enterprises Center, decent job to 30,000 people on RMSE & Jobs Promotion,50,000 people for Productive Investment on Rural Finance, to disseminate information about safe migration to 1,10,000 people from established MRC/MID and to mentor 1000 households marginalized women on Gender Action Learning System(GALs) activity.

1.4 Limitation of the study:

Since our project covers only one district of Bagmati Province, i.e. Sindhuli. The study result of Bagmati Province may not be justified due to its sample size.

The larger the sample size, the higher degree the accuracy, but this is limit by the availability of the resources and respondents amid COVID-19 pandemic.

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CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY

This assessment was undertaken over the period April-May 2020, making use of information derived from a number of sources, as detailed below.

2.1 Methods and Tools: The study was conducted by applying quantitative method to collect primary and secondary data from the field. The quantitative data were collected throughthe analysis from the information made available from the secondary sources such as local level, District Health Committees and quarantines. RERP District staffs (EDF, MRC/MID staffs, Supply chain Supervisor), Rural Finance Cooperative Groups conducted interviews via phone, on field and other online measures for the primary identification of the returnees. The MRC/MID districts have opted to collect information and counsel the returnees by displaying radio jingles in various local and provincial FM’s.

2.2 Sample Size

The study areas for survey are 16 districts (Morang, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Terathum, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Udayapur, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Shindhuli). These districts were selected as RERP has been functioning in these districts. There is no proper sampling method chosen for this study as due to the imposed lockdown and ongoing pandemic easy access to the field was not available which limits the research without any use of proper sampling method. Any information collected from the concerned government authorities and proof documents were welcomed.

2.3 Orientation and Training to Staffs:

There has been timely online training made available to district staff via phone and other online application. Some cooperatives on their own knowledge dealt with their member contacts.RERP has prepared the information sheet and necessary required details for guiding the staffs contacting the returnees and their local authorities. The collected information has been segregated on the basis of districts, local levels, and gender on the database for further study.

2.4 Questionnaire

As per the objectives of this survey the questionnaire was designed to collect as much information as possible from the returnees. The questionnaire comprises of sections which acquires the information of the destination country, skill acquired, prospect desires and other necessary personal details as tabulated in Annex 1.

2.5 Data Analysis The data was collected through questionnaire and secondary sources then entry to excel sheet for data cleaning and analysis was done. The data were presented as outputs in tables, charts, bar diagrams, depending on the nature of data. Both primary and secondary quantitative data were collected from different sources by field staffs. The returnee data analyzed below only limits to data collected till May 2020.

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CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESPONDENTS

This chapter presents descriptive statistics surveyed in RERP functioning districts. The Economic development facilitators, supply chain supervisors, MRC/MID staff, Cooperatives collected the returnee data of RERP functioning districts from their respective Municipalities, District Health Committees, local quarantines and via personal contact. This data has been categorized on the basis of district, municipality, gender, skill qualification, future prospect as described below.

3.1 Respondents District wise The table below gives a briefing of description of returnee numbers in 78 municipalities of RERP functioning 16 districts. The numbers have been segregated according to the municipalities in the district wise row. It can be seen that returnee number is highest in Rautahat District.

Table 1: Respondents District wise S.N. District Rural/Municipality Number Total 1 Chaudandigadi Municipality 37 1 Udayapur 2 61 98 3 Khijidimba Rural Municipality 4 4 Champadevi Rural Municipality 2 5 Manebhanjyang Rural Municipality 5 2 Okhaldhunga 6 Molung Rural Municipality 6 7 Siddhicharan Municipality 5 8 Sunkoshi Rural Municipality 2 24 9 Kopilasgadi Rural Municipality 2 10 Khotehang Rural Municipality 4 11 Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadi Municipality 14 3 Khotang 12 Diprung Chuichumma Rural Municipality 1 13 Rawa Beshi Rural Municipality 7 14 Shakela Rural Municipality 1 29 15 Aathrai Rural Municipality 7 4 Terathum 16 Myanglung Municipality 9 16 17 13 18 Chaubise Rural Municipality 13 5 Dhankuta 19 Chathar Jorpati Rural Municipality 2 20 Mahalaxmi Municipality 6 34 Tamkeymaiyum Rural Municipality 21 19 22 6 Bhojpur 24 23 Ramprashadrai Rural Municipality 5 24 Sadananda Municipality 17 65 25 Urlabari Municipality 3 7 Morang 26 Budhiganga Rural Municipality 1 27 Sundarharaicha Municipality 6 10

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S.N. District Rural/Municipality Number Total 28 Ithari Sub-Metropolitan City 5 29 3 8 Sunsari 30 Dewangunj Rural Municipality 3 31 Sub-Metropolitan City 20 32 Barahaxhettra Municipality 2 33 Province 1 Total 309 309 33 Ganeshman Charnath Municipality 11 34 Xireshwor Municipality 6 9 Dhanusha 35 Nagarayin Municipality 2 35 36 Bateyshwor Rural Municipality 4 37 Hanshapur Municipality 12 38 Kalaiya Sub-Metropolitan City 12 39 Kolahawi Municipality 92 10 Bara 40 Feta Rural Municipality 6 112 41 Simraungadh Municipality 1 42 Bishrampur Rural Municipality 1 43 Gaushala MunicipalIty 54 44 Jaleshwor Municipality 6 45 Pipara Rural Municipality 1 11 Mahottari 77 46 Bateshwor Rural Municipality 5 47 Bardibas Municipality 9 48 Manara Sisawa Municipality 2 49 Katahariya Municipality 7 50 Garuda Municipality 47 51 Chandrapur Municipality 17 52 Madhavnarayan Municipality 12 53 Yamunamaai Municipality 5 12 Rautahat 138 54 Gujara Municipality 2 55 Diwahi Gonahi Municipality 1 56 Gaur Municipality 37 57 Gadhimai Municipality 8 58 Brindawan Municipality 2 59 Agnisaayer Krishnashawaran Rural Municipality 5 60 Chhinnamasta Municipality 5 61 Daakneshwori Municipality 94 62 Narge Rural Municipality 1 13 Saptari 127 63 Bodebarshayein Municipality 2 64 Rajbiraj Municipality 1 65 Rupni Rural Municipality 5 66 Mahadewa Rural Municipality 14 67 Chandranagar Rural Municipality 14 14 Sarlahi 68 Barathawa Municipality 2 32 69 Lalbandi Municipality 16 15 Siraha 70 Arnawa Rural Municipality 5 56 8

S.N. District Rural/Municipality Number Total 71 Karjana Municipality 14 72 Golbazar Municipality 1 73 Dhangadimai Municipality 14 74 Lahan Municipality 16 75 Siraha Municipality 6 Province 2 Total 577 577 76 Kamalamai Municipality 40 16 Sindhuli 77 Golonjur Rural Municipality 3 71 78 Dudhauli Municipality 28 Bagmati Province Total 71 71 Grand Total 957 957

3.2 Respondents Province wise The table below shows the number of returnee numbers by province. The number of returnees of Province 2 is higher than the Province 1 by 268 returnees.

Table 2: Respondents Province wise Province Number 309 Province 1 577 Province 2 71 Bagmati Province 957 Total

Province wise Respondents

71

309

Provinve 1 Provinve 2 Bagmati Province

577

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3.3 Respondents Gender wise

The table below shows the number of returnee by Province and Sex. In both provinces there are less women returnees (Average 1.78%) than men (Average 98.22%).

Table 3: Respondents Gender wise Province Women Men Number 1 8 301 309 2 6 571 577 Bagmati Province 3 68 71 Total 17 940 957 Percentage 1.78 98.22 100.00

1%

Women Men

99%

3.4 Respondents Country wise The table below shows the number of returnees by province and from various destination countries. India is the highest count with 374 returnees, followed by Malaysia with 171 and Qatar with 170 returnees. Province wise, the top 3 returnees’ counts of Province 1 are from Malaysia, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia and for Province 2 are India, Qatar and Malaysia. Since the repatriation has not officially started. These returnee counts imply to the people who had returned before the lockdown on holidays, for the renewal of contract and end of work contract.

Table 4: Respondents Country wise Country Province 1 Province 2 Bagmati Province Total Qatar 64 105 1 170 Kuwait 11 9 20 Saudi Arabia 46 52 1 99 Oman 2 2 UAE 46 37 1 84 Bahrain 11 11 Malaysia 84 85 2 171 India 28 281 65 374 Korea 4 2 6

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Country Province 1 Province 2 Bagmati Province Total Canada 1 1 China 1 1 Germany 1 1 Japan 1 1 2 Jordan 2 2 America 1 1 2 UK 6 6 Romania 1 1 Hong Kong 2 1 3 Other 1 1 Total 309 577 71 957

3.5 Category wise data of Country The table below shows the number of returnees by the category of the destination country. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has the higher number of returnees equals to 40.33% followed by India 39.08%. The less number of returnees seen from India clarifies that the returnee data has not been accounted well.

Table 5: Category wise data of Country SN Countries Number of Returnees Percentage 1 GCC Countries 386 40.33 3 India 374 39.08 2 Malaysia 171 17.87 4 Other Counties 26 2.72 Total 957 100

450

400 386 374 350

300

250

200 171 150

100

50 26

0 GCC Countries Malaysia India Other Counties

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3.6 Job Experience in Destination Country The table below shows the category of job experience of the returnees by province (In Number). These experiences can broadly be divided into 9 categories. Among them the top experiences are Elementary Occupation, Service and Sales and Construction. Agriculture falls on the top seven experiences of the returnees. This recommends there are additional employment priorities in agriculture based economy.

Table 6: Job Experience in Destination Country SN Job Category Total Job Details 1 Agriculture 33 Aviation and Cruise 2 Worker 13 3 Construction 129 Carpenter, mason, Painter, Steel Fixture 4 Driver/Machine Operator 71

5 Electrical and Mechanical A/C Technician, Automotive, Electrician, Technician 22 Plumbing/Pipe Fitter, Welder Cleaning and Laundry, 6 Packaging/Loading/Shipping/Delivery, Elementary Occupations 339 Unspecified Labour, Specified Labour 7 Manufacturing 98 8 Office/Administrative 16

Baker/Dessert Maker, Barista/Coffee Maker, 9 Service & Sales Beauty & Fitness, Caregiver/Au Pair/Nursing Aide, Housekeeping, Security, Tailor, 185 Waiter/Waitress, Retail 10 Other 51 Total 957

400 339 350 300 250 185 200 129 150 98 100 71 33 51 50 13 22 16 0

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3.7 Job Experience in Destination Country (Province wise) The table below shows the category of job experience of the returnees by province (In Percentage). The top 3 experiences that the returnees have had are Elementary Occupation (35.42%), Service and Sales (19.33 %) and Construction (13.8%). This shows the returnee have more experiences with low skilled job.

Table 7:Job Experience in Destination Country (Province wise) Bagmati SN Job Category P1 P2 Province Total % 1 Agriculture 16 16 1 33 3.45 Aviation and Cruise 2 Worker 1 8 4 13 1.36 3 Construction 33 95 1 129 13.48 Driver/Machine 4 Operator 12 58 1 71 7.42 Electrical and 5 Mechanical Technician 21 1 22 2.30 Elementary 6 Occupations 148 191 339 35.42 7 Manufacturing 10 84 4 98 10.24 8 Office/Administrative 6 6 4 16 8.65 10 Service & Sales 61 73 51 185 19.33 9 Other 1 46 4 51 5.33 Total 309 577 71 957 100.00

3.8 Additional Skill The table below shows the additional skills acquired by the returnees in the destination countries. Most returnees have reported acquisition of Agricultural skills (26.55%) along with a list of other 26 skills. Mobilization of agricultural skills can be beneficial for the agro based economy for improving the technical grounds.

Table 8: Additional Skill SN Job Category P1 P2 Bagmati Province Total 1 Service & Sales 2 2 2 AC, Fridge maintainer 1 1 3 Accounting 1 2 3 4 Agriculture 34 95 8 137 5 Airport worker 1 1 6 Beautyparlour 2 2 7 Carpenter 6 4 10 8 Construction 66 66 9 Computer 5 5 10 Cook 6 3 10 19 11 Driving 13 25 9 47 12 Electric 3 13 16 13 Gardening 1 1

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SN Job Category P1 P2 Bagmati Province Total 14 Gypsum 1 1 15 Hotel 1 7 19 27 16 Jeweler 1 1 17 Labor 81 7 88 18 laundry service 1 1 19 Marketing 6 2 8 20 Mason 3 4 7 21 Painting 1 1 2 22 Plumber 2 3 5 23 Plumber 1 1 24 Scaffolding 3 3 25 Security guard 4 4 26 Tailoring 42 42 27 Waiter 2 2 1 5 28 Welding 4 7 11 Total 80 380 56 516

3.9 Plan to return destination country The table below shows the returnee’s plan of returning to the Destination Country by province. More than two third of the people do not want to return to the destination country. But there is a provincial difference in opinion. Almost 20.38 % of people from province 1 want to return while only 19.93% people from province 2 want to return to their destination country. The people who want to return back remain on doubt if they will have proper resource generating employment or not.

Table 9:Plan to return destination country Province Yes No Number 1 63 246 309 2 115 462 577 Bagmati Province 12 59 71 Total 190 767 957 Percentage 19.85 80.15 100.00

Yes 29%

No 71%

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3.10 Desired Enterprise The table below shows the response of the returnees about their future desires to settle in the Nepalese economy. It shows most of the returnees wish to settle in the agricultural sector in both of the provinces. This can be a boon for agricultural economy like Nepal where many barren lands were created due to the absence of workforce settled in foreign employment.

Table 10:Desire Enterprise Province Agriculture Decent Job Other Total Province 1 193 39 14 246 Province 2 221 172 69 462 Bagmati Province 36 8 15 59 Total 450 219 98 767 Percentage 58.67 28.55 12.78 100.00

500 450 36 400 350 Bagmati 300 221 Province 250 Province 2 200 8 Province 1 150 172 100 193 15 50 69 39 0 14 Agreculture Decent Job Other

3.11 Required Support The table below shows the required support needed by returnees by province and sector. Most of the returnees mentioned the need of skills (32.35 %), Grant (28.51 %) and Soft Loan (20.81%) as the top 3 supports. As analyzed from the other graphs above it can be seen that many Nepalese migrants are still settled in low skilled job which needs more buff up as they have desired for acquiring skill to start their own enterprise.

Table 10: Require Support Market Province Skill Technology Soft Loan Grant linkage Total 1 100 70 49 143 1 363 2 174 86 96 106 462 Bagmati Province 12 5 39 3 59 Total 286 161 184 252 1 884 Percentage 32.35 18.21 20.81 28.51 0.11 100.00

15

350

300 286 252 250

200 184 161 150

100

50 1 0 Skill Technology Soft Loan Grant Market linkage

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CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

The study has analyzed few details from the characteristics of returnee respondents which draws some concluding thoughts and makes recommendations for moving forward.

4.1 Major Findings: As the world has been confronted by the pandemic disease, people wish to be protected by their state and prefer to stay at home. Even the Nepalese migrant workers who have been jobless, undocumented, given amnesty, diseased and others wish to return home. Even from respondent study for this report we found that most of the returnees (80.15%) wish to stay backin Nepal and desire for a new space in the Nepalese economy. Some other highlighting findings reports as follows-  Most of returnees have experience accounts in following sectors, Elementary Occupations – 35.42%, service and Sales -19.33% and Construction – 13.48%.  3.45% returnees have experience in agriculture sector and most of respondent's additional skills were found in agriculture sector.  Respondents express their demand to start enterprise based on skill training -32.35% and grant-28.51%.

4.2 Conclusion: COVID-19 crisis is likely to disrupt this eco-system of foreign labor migration. This havoc will add a layer of challenges for Nepalese economy as Nepal is a remittance driven state. There is a danger of the country's economic imbalances due to poor GDP growth in the absence of remittances and this may eventually lead to a financial crunch. COVID-19 has been impacting the migrant workers with different problems in the destination countries. The home country is bound to save its people at any cost bided by the human rights law. Therefore government should put focus on the rescue, repatriation and reintegration of its migrants stranded abroad. After the federalism model was introduced in Nepal it prioritized on bringing more domestic opportunities in the economy as an alternative choice to foreign employment. The Section 11 of the Local Government Operation Act 2015 has set an obligation of integrating migrant workers with the local government. The government should take the pandemic as an opportunity to create a sustainable reintegration programme for migrant workers as the government has declared that creating internal employment is its priority. Looking at the returnee data survey mentioned in this report a lot of returnee wish to stay back with their family. They have also presented their desires and support from the government. Post-COVID-19 development shall be mobilized in making use of the knowledge and skills that returnee migrants have brought along. Thus the government needs to introduce plans and policies to turn upcoming challenges into lasting opportunities. The government needs to bind private and civil society as their responsibility to make additions in reintegrated economy. For a long-term strategy a taskforce should be created as the government alone cannot solve the remittance and foreign employment problems. As most of the respondents desire to invest in enterprise, modernize in agriculture, in acquiring skill training an institutional and policy arrangement should be formed to provide business counseling, incubation trainings, market orientation to develop entrepreneurship among the returnee migrants. There should be grounds for financial trainings and acquired benefits of savings and investments. The projects like RERP which has been concentrating in supply chain management for agriculture grown 17 products, providing vocational trainings, guiding in financial knowledge, development of rural households and mobilizing migrant resource skills shall guide in reintegrating returnees by interlinking its component goals.

4.3 Recommendations:

 RERP needs to model the new framework for the MRC/MID staffs. Earlier the counseling was more focused on the safe migration process now it has to be diverted in reintegrating returnees.  RERP components needs to be interlinked in solving the reintegration process in the project focused districts.  The study is recommended as a database tool for the concerned local levels on reintegrating returnee migrants.

On the basis of the study RERP recognizes for the further progress to be made at the policy and institutional level.

Policy Level:

a. On the basis of findings mentioned above it addresses that government shall focus on labour intensive sector over capital intensive sectors. b. The Government needs to invest in productive employment sectors within Nepal such as manufacturing and construction so that more opportunities shall be accumulated. c. The federal government shall enhance coordination between the Foreign Employment Board (FEB) and local government for an effective reintegration programme. FEB shall establish the policy, procedure and programme, and the local government should implement such a programme. d. The government shall establish a separate fund for repatriation, compensation and reintegration of workers and request the donor community with a clear plan, procedure and programme. e. Government should encourage the migrant returnees to use their skills and ideas at home by formulating effective policies and programs.

Institutional Level: f. The returnee migrants should be encouraged by providing grants during the initial phase of a startup business, offering rewards for encouragement and proffer soft loans with strict eligibility criteria in the form of a viable business plan and develop entrepreneurship training. g. An institutional and policy arrangement should be formed to provide business counseling, incubation trainings, market orientation to develop entrepreneurship among the returnee migrants.

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Annexes

Annex 1: Questionnaire Types of S.N. Question Answer Question 1 Name of Returnee Compulsory ...... Women 2 Gender Compulsory Men Province 1 Compulsory 2 3 3 Address Compulsory District Compulsory Rural/municipality Compulsory Ward No. Optional Tole 4 Contact Number Optional ...... Qatar Kuwait Saudi Arabia Oman UAE (Dubai) 5 Name of Country Compulsory Bahrain Malaysia India Korea Other Country 6 Returned Date Compulsory Year; month Agriculture Aviation and Cruise Worker Construction (Carpenter, mason, Painter, Steel Fixture) Driver/Machine Operator Electrical and Mechanical Technician (A/C Technician, Automotive, Electrician, Plumbing/Pipe Fitter, Welder) Job Experience in Destination Elementary Occupations (Cleaning 7 Compulsory Country and Laundry, Packaging/Loading/Shipping/Delivery, Unspecified Labor, Specified Labor) Manufacturing Office/Administrative Service & Sales (Baker/Dessert Maker, Barista/Coffee Maker, Beauty & Fitness, Caregiver/Au Pair/Nursing Aide, Housekeeping, Security, Tailor, Waiter/Waitress, Retail) 19

Types of S.N. Question Answer Question Other AC, Fridge maintainer Accounting Agriculture Airport worker Beauty parlor Carpenter Computer Cook Driving Electric Jeweler Plumber Plumber 8 Additional Skill Optional Gardening Gypsum Hotel Labor laundry service Marketing Painting Mason Scaffolding Security guard Tailoring Welding Waiter Other Plan to return destination Yes 9 Compulsory country No Agriculture 10 Desired enterprise Compulsory Decent Job Other Skill Technology 11 Required Support Compulsory Soft Loan Grant Market linkage

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References

Government of Nepal.(2019/2020).Economic Survey Report. Kathmandu: Government of Nepal

World Bank.(2016). Migraton and Remittances Factbook. World Bank Group. Retrieved from

World Bank.(2016). Migraton and Remittances Factbook. World Bank Group.

Rural Enterprises and Remittances project.About Project. Retrieved from Rural Enterprises and

Remittances project: rerp.moi.gov.np/en/pages/aboutus

Luintel, S. (2020). Roadmap for repatriation, reintegration of migrant workers. Retrieved

fromThe Himalayan Times: https://thehimalayantimes.com/opinion/roadmap-for-

repatriation-reintegration-of-migrant-workers/

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