Europe is emerging as a promising destination for Nepali migrant workers, with countries like Romania, Croatia, Malta, Cyprus and Portugal becoming popular choices for employment. This shift marks a notable change in Nepal’s labor migration trend, which for decades was dominated by destinations in the Gulf and Malaysia.
According to data from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), the number of Nepalis leaving for employment in European nations surged by 46 percent during the first eight months of the current fiscal year 2024/25. A total of 34,366 individuals obtained labor permits to work in Europe during this period, compared to 23,510 in the same period of the previous fiscal year.
This figure includes only those who obtained formal labor approvals. Recruitment agencies say that the actual number could be significantly higher, as many Nepalis travel to Europe on visit visas and then secure jobs informally. These cases are harder to track but are increasingly common.
One of the main reasons behind this shift is the appeal of better salaries, safer and more worker-friendly labor laws, and milder climates compared to traditional labor destinations in the Middle East. European jobs are often seen as more dignified in Nepal, with structured working conditions and legal protections that are often lacking in Gulf countries.
Romania has emerged as the most popular European destination for Nepali workers. The number of Nepalis receiving labor approvals for Romania jumped by an impressive 136.34 percent, reaching 17,830 in just eight months. As a developing country with a high-income economy, Romania has growing demand for labor in sectors like agriculture, where many Nepalis are employed.
Significant growth was also observed in the number of workers heading to Portugal, Croatia, and Cyprus. However, the number of Nepali workers leaving for Malta fell by nearly a half during the same period.
According to recruitment companies, the flow of Nepali workers to Europe has grown steadily over the past three years, with around 11 percent of all Nepali migrant workers now heading to European countries.
In recent years, countries like the UK and Germany have shown increasing interest in hiring Nepali workers. The UK has already begun recruiting nurses from Nepal, and Germany has signed a labor memorandum of understanding to bring in both skilled and unskilled labor. However, language requirements—particularly the need to learn German—have slowed the pace of labor migration to Germany for now.
