The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) has penalised 159 recruitment agencies for sending migrant workers to overseas destinations via Indian airports without prior authorisation.

The department has also issued warnings to 434 other manpower companies that failed to submit mandatory records on workers’ departures, giving them a final opportunity to comply.

The action follows a DoFE directive requiring all licensed recruitment agencies to submit details of workers who travelled abroad between March 15 and June 14 after obtaining labour permits.

According to the department, the move was aimed at identifying agencies that routed workers through Indian airports without obtaining prior approval. Officials say the practice increased after the government tightened oversight of service fees charged by recruitment agencies, prompting some firms to use Indian airports to avoid greater scrutiny.

Under the Foreign Employment Act, 2007, recruitment agencies are required to send migrant workers through airports in Nepal. Although the law allows the use of foreign airports under exceptional circumstances, agencies must obtain prior approval from the DoFE and follow the prescribed procedure.

Recruitment agencies, however, argue that soaring airfares and a shortage of international flights following heightened tensions in West Asia forced them to use Indian airports.

According to the department, 678 of Nepal’s 1,117 licensed recruitment agencies submitted the requested flight records. A review of the records found that 159 agencies had routed workers through foreign airports without prior approval.

The department issued formal warnings to the 159 agencies under Section 54 of the Foreign Employment Act, treating the cases as first-time violations.

The department said in a notice on Saturday that eight agencies, including Grand Suite Job, Mass Human Resource, Noon Resources, Apex HR Consultancy, Tesla Overseas, Tsunaguwa International, Allied International Manpower and Anjali Overseas Services, were found to have repeatedly violated the law and ignored departmental directives. They were each fined Rs50,000.

The department also found that 434 recruitment agencies had failed to submit the required records, in violation of Section 37 of the Act. They have been issued formal warnings and directed to submit the outstanding documents immediately.

According to DoFE data up to June 14 of the current fiscal year, 722,000 Nepalis left for foreign employment, including 636,000 men and 86,000 women. Of them, 242,000 were deployed through licensed recruitment agencies.