रोजगारी / रेमिट्यान्स

The Employment Permit System (EPS) Korea section in Lalitpur reported a surge in applicants for the 2026 language proficiency exams (TOPIK). While the Korean government has introduced stricter skill-based requirements, the demand among Nepali youth remains at an all-time high due to limited domestic high-paying opportunities and the “re-entry” success of returning workers.

The massive influx of remittance has pushed Nepal’s gross foreign exchange reserves to approximately USD 22.13 billion. This “reserve cushion” is now sufficient to cover 18.2 months of merchandise and services imports, providing the interim government with significant fiscal leverage as it prepares for the March 5 elections.

A noticeable shift in labor destinations has occurred this month, with Saudi Arabia becoming the top choice for Nepali workers (7,222 departures). Meanwhile, the UAE—previously the leading destination—has seen a sharp decline in arrivals after tightening its visa and security criteria in the wake of Nepal’s late-2025 domestic instability.

Data from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) shows that 31,750 Nepali workers left for foreign jobs between mid-December and mid-January. This marks an increase of 2,132 workers compared to the previous month, signaling that labor migration is gradually stabilizing after the significant disruptions caused by the September 2025 political unrest.

In its latest macroeconomic update, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) reported that remittance inflows reached a historic Rs 870.31 billion in the first five months of the current fiscal year. This represents a 35.6% jump compared to the previous year, with a single-month record of Rs 183.18 billion received in Mangsir (mid-Nov to mid-Dec) alone.