Thursday, June 23, 2011

Update on the state of labor market in Nepal

According to this news piece that quotes Labor Standard Survey 2008:

  • Labor force (15-59 years): 15.4 million
  • Employed: 11.7 million
  • Annual new entrants in the labor market: 0.425 million (0.3 million go abroad for employment)


Meanwhile, there are 0.21 million child workers working in legally prohibited sectors. The sector-wise distribution is as below:
  • Agriculture: 1,861,000
  • Industrial houses: 33,000
  • Hotel, restaurant: 30,000
  • Manufacturing: 29,000
  • Construction: 6,000
  • Others: 3,000
  • Wage earners: 138,000


By the end of this decade, the number of people in the age range 15 to 34 is expected to be about 14 million, which is approximately 40 % of the estimated total population in 2020.The number of people in the age group 15-24 will peak in 2017 and the 15-34 segments will peak in 2023. They will be the agents of change and a catalyst to the engine of growth.


Also, it is estimated that there are about 50,000 foreign workers in Nepal working without employment authorization (you have to pay Rs 10,000 yearly if you are registered). This excludes Indian nationals because according to Nepal-India Treaty of 1950 Indians can work in Nepal without such authorization (likewise for Nepalese citizens in India). Foreigners are usually working in projects, INGOs, banks, MNCs, tourism, aviation, hotel, and beverage sectors.


Migration

Emigration, 2010

  • Stock of emigrants: 982.2 thousands

  • Stock of emigrants as percentage of population: 3.3%

  • Top destination countries: India, Qatar, the United States, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brunei Darussalam, Australia, Canada

Skilled emigration, 2000

  • Emigration rate of tertiary-educated population: 5.3%

  • Emigration of physicians: 40 or 3.3% of physicians trained in the country

Immigration, 2010

  • Stock of immigrants: 945.9 thousands

  • Stock of immigrants as percentage of population: 3.2%

  • Females as percentage of immigrants: 68.2%

  • Refugees as percentage of immigrants: 13.8%

  • Top source countries: India, Bhutan, Pakistan, China, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, New Zealand