Nepal’s Labor Migration 2025: Renew Entries Rise 4.4% While New Entries Jump 20%

Nepal’s foreign employment data for the first month of 2025/26 shows a strong rebound in migration, with new entries and renewals both on the rise. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, a total of 44,466 Nepalis left for foreign jobs in one month, of which 36,928 were new entries and 7,538 were renewals.

The data highlights that new institutional and individual entries surged by 20.4%, indicating growing demand for fresh workers across key destinations such as the UAE, Japan, Qatar, and Cyprus. The UAE alone accounted for 17,779 new approvals (40% share), while Japan’s demand nearly doubled compared to last year.

On the other hand, renew entries increased modestly by 4.4%, totaling 23,644. Qatar led the renew category with 7,673 workers (32.5%), followed by the UAE (6,059) and Saudi Arabia (3,985). Malaysia also posted strong growth, with renewals jumping by 89%, signaling improved labor demand in its industrial and manufacturing sectors.

Experts say the sharp rise in new entries reflects Nepal’s continuing reliance on foreign jobs as a safety valve for unemployment and income generation. At the same time, the steady growth in renewals shows that many Nepalis are extending their contracts abroad rather than returning home, a sign of stable demand but also of Nepal’s dependence on external labor markets.