Israel stops issuing labor demands: NAFEA

Israel stops issuing labor demands: NAFEA
eKantipur.com, 11-May-07

The umbrella body of overseas recruitment agencies has claimed that the Israeli government has stopped placing new labor demands and issuing calling visas for Nepali workers.

The development came a day after the labor ministry said that it has formally requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to initiate the process to open a diplomatic mission in Israel.

“The decision, which came into effect four days ago, implies that the Israeli government will not entertain new applications from Nepali job aspirants, seeking permission to work in Israel and neither will it send demand for Nepali workers,” said Hansha Raj Wagle, general secretary of Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA).

However, the Israeli Embassy in Nepal has been issuing visas to those job aspirants who have already received calling visas -- a final permit issued by Israeli authorities to entry the country for employment. This decision has not only worried around 2,000 female job aspirants who have spent some amount to take training for domestic helper, but it has also put foreign employment agencies -- which had invested millions of rupees to acquire labor demands from Israel -- in trouble, he added.

The government, however, has not confirmed the claims of NAFEA. “We have not received any information on the matter from the Israeli government,” Keshar Bahadur Baniya, director general of Department of Labor and Employment Promotion told the Post.

Earlier a senior government official had confirmed that the Israeli ambassador to Nepal had warned to put a ban on importing Nepali workers to Israel if the Nepali government failed to set up a diplomatic mission in the country.

During the meeting held with Labor Minister Ramesh Lekhak, the ambassador had also informed about new Israeli policy that requires all labor-sending countries to establish an embassy and depute a labor attaché in Israel.

“We had frequently requested the government to work as per the conditions set by the Israeli government. But it did not listen to us,” said Wagle, adding - “The government is solely responsible for ruining the chances of Nepalis from entering one of the lucrative labor markets in the world.”

Israel, a major labor destination for Nepali female workers, has absorbed more than 12,000 workers till date. The Foreign Employment Act makes it mandatory for the government to depute labor attaches in countries where number of Nepali workers exceeds 5,000.

Currently, around 25 foreign employment agencies are sending workers to Israel.

Meanwhile, NAFEA has informed that it has established Israel Coordination Committee to expedite the process of resuming export of Nepali workers to Israel.