Workers heading to foreign job destinations will now have to pay nearly 50 percent more for health examinations. The Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security has raised the health check-up fee to Rs 9,500 through a minister-level decision made last week. Issuing a notice, the ministry stated that the comprehensive package for all health tests for migrant workers will now cost Rs 9,500. The ministry introduced the new health test fee by amending the guidelines related to the listing, renewal, and monitoring of health institutions conducting medical examinations for migrant workers.

This decision has sparked concerns about affordability and the quality of services for Nepali workers seeking employment opportunities abroad.

Additionally, the ministry has formed a committee of experts to prepare a report within a month to transition the health examination process to an electronic system. As per the notice, 34 types of health tests are included in the package. Likewise, registered health facilities will have to upgrade their infrastructure to provide all 34 types of tests within two months of the notice's publication. Ministry officials will then observe and approve the upgraded facilities. According to the notice, the registration of facilities that fail to upgrade their infrastructure as required will not be renewed.

The notice also stated that final approval for workers heading abroad will only be granted after the designated tests are completed and duly uploaded to the Department of Foreign Employment. The ministry decided to increase the health test fee despite the recommendations made by a task force in December last year. The task force, led by Dipendra Raman Singh, had suggested integrating the health examinations of migrant workers into the government-run health insurance scheme.

Among others, the task force emphasized the need for uniformity in health examination fees, the appointment of health counselors in countries with over 100,000 Nepali workers, and a requirement for at least B-grade laboratories for testing. Currently, medical checks for migrant workers are conducted at C-grade facilities. The report, however, had not recommended increasing the health check-up fees.

Around 700,000 Nepalis leave for foreign employment every year after obtaining a labor approval permit from the ministry. Additionally, a significant number of people travel to job destinations on visit visas and arrange employment on their own.