Family of the migrant workers, who died or got injured or contracted any serious disease within one year of their return or end of the contract, will be eligible for the compensation meant for migrant workers. 

Amending the existing Foreign Employment Act 2008, the government has extended the compensation claim period by one year after end of the migrant worker’s contract with the employers.

Earlier, families could claim compensation if the migrants workers died or suffered injury on foreign land during the contract period. 

According to Tara Bahadur Kunwar, assistant executive director of the Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB), the third amendment to Foreign Employment Act will benefit even those who return Nepal on vacation.

“This is a welcome step. Now, those Nepali migrant workers who come home on vacation or after completing their work contract and subsequently fall ill or die will also be entitled to compensation,” said Kunwar, adding, “Previously, if anyone faced such tragedy, the kin of the concerned person were entitled to nothing even if the incident happened just a day after the contract period was over.”

The third amendment, which was made on May 27, has come into force after its publication in Nepal Gazette on July 31. 

With the amendment, the families and relatives of the deceased will get Rs 700,000, a hike from previous compensation amount of Rs 300,000.  

Similarly, the FEPB can provide financial assistance up to Rs 700,000 to families of those who had lost body parts or contracted critical diseases. However, this will depend on the recommendations 

by a committee of experts who will examine hospital prescriptions and nature and gravity of the disease, states the provision. 

The board will provide financial assistance for a total of 15 types of critical diseases like kidney failure, cancer and heart attack among others. All of this financial assistance will be paid from the Foreign Employment Welfare Fund, which is maintained by the FEPB under the Foreign Employment Act 2007. 

Established for the promotion of foreign employment and protection and welfare of migrant workers, the fund currently has over Rs 4 billion in its stock.  

Since the fund was set up, as many as 5,877 deceased migrant worker’s families and 847 others injured or diseased have claimed compensation. 

In the fiscal year 2017/18 alone, the fund has compensated families of 30 dead and 37 injured or sick migrant workers. 

The board will also bear the cost of transporting bodies from Tribhuvan International Airport to the deceased persons’ homes. 

Further, the board will take care of the legal services needed to any migrant workers locked up in foreign prison.