KATHMANDU: Nepal’s foreign employment recruitment agencies have protested after the Department of Foreign Employment fined 163 manpower companies for sending migrant workers abroad through foreign airports without prior government approval.

The department imposed fines of Rs. 50,000 each on 39 companies for using foreign airports without approval and on 124 others for failing to provide requested flight records. It said the action was taken in accordance with the Foreign Employment Act after finding that workers had been flown from Indian airports without authorization.

The Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies has given the government a 15-day ultimatum to address its concerns, warning that it will halt the deployment of migrant workers if no solution is reached.

Association President Dick Bahadur Khatri argued that the move would hurt workers, saying flights from Indian airports to destinations such as the UAE and Qatar cost only Rs. 20,000–30,000, while tickets from Nepal can cost up to Rs. 80,000. He also called for amendments to the 23-year-old Foreign Employment Act, claiming an earlier government understanding had permitted the use of Indian airports during flight disruptions at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Department Director General Mira Acharya said the law requires institutional recruitment agencies to use Nepali airports unless prior approval is obtained to use a foreign airport. Ministry spokesperson Pitambar Ghimire defended the action, saying lower airfares cannot justify violating the law and that using Nepal’s airport system provides greater security and protection for migrant workers.