Nepal’s Foreign Employment Rises 17.9% in FY 2025/26 – Over 90,000 Workers Leave in Two Months

According to the latest Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) macroeconomic data for FY 2025/26, the number of Nepalese workers going abroad for employment has increased sharply, indicating strong labor migration trends. During the first two months of FY 2025/26, a total of 90,198 new workers obtained foreign employment approval — a 17.9% increasecompared to the same period last fiscal year.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continued to be the top destination, absorbing 37,381 Nepali workers and accounting for 41.4% of total new approvals. It was followed by Saudi Arabia (11,923 workers, 13.2%), Qatar (8,340 workers, 9.2%), and Kuwait (4,926 workers, 5.5%). Among other destinations, Japan and Cyprus recorded notable growth — with Japan rising 42% and Cyprus 14.8%, reflecting expanding demand for Nepali labor in both the industrial and caregiving sectors.

Meanwhile, Romania, which had surged in previous years, saw a 17.6% decline, while South Korea and Maldives also posted contractions of 9.4% and 20.7%, respectively. The Malaysia market, previously one of Nepal’s largest labor destinations, showed recovery with 5,748 approvals, marking a return after a slump in 2024.

In addition to new entrants, the renewal category — which includes workers renewing contracts for existing foreign employment — reached 45,884 individuals, up 13.1% from the previous year. Key renewal destinations were Qatar (14,113), UAE (11,675), Saudi Arabia (8,163), and Malaysia (5,003). Japan and Romania also posted significant increases in renewal numbers, underscoring job stability and longer employment periods for many Nepalis abroad.

Overall, the data shows Nepal’s labor migration rebounding strongly with over 1.36 lakh total departures (new and renewal combined) in just two months of FY 2025/26. Analysts believe this reflects persistent domestic job scarcity, coupled with rising foreign demand across the Gulf and East Asian economies.