Israel reopens agriculture sector to Nepalis

 
     


 Israel has reopened its agriculture sector for Nepali workers after a hiatus of three years.

Israeli firm Ross 2001 Projects Ltd recently placed demand for 40 Nepali male workers through Asia Link Service Ltd, a Nepali recruiting agency, a highly placed source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) told myrepublica.com on Wednesday.


Israel - a lucrative destination for Nepali women - has stopped issuing visa to Nepali caregivers since last April, citing irregularities such as overcharging by manpower agencies in Nepal and Israel, increasing trend of using flying visa and lack of work skills of Nepali jobseekers.

Israel has proposed Nepal to involve International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the recruitment process as a condition to open Israeli jobs for Nepali workers.

Bishnu Prasad Gautam, second secretary at Nepali Embassy in Tel Aviv, has stated in the letter sent to the MoFA that the manpower agency has submitted the demand letter to the embassy for verification of the authenticity of demands placed by the employer company.

“We made necessary inquiry about the demands placed by the Israeli employer and we have been informed by Israel´s Ministry of Interior Affairs that there is no problem for receiving Nepalis as agricultural workers,” Gautam has stated in the letter.

The embassy has urged the manpower agencies to utilize the employment opportunity in Israel by exercising ethical practices in sending process. The embassy also suggested the government to immediately address the concerns raised by Israel to create favorable environment to reestablish agriculture sector in Israel as the major employment generating sector for Nepali youths.

Hansa Raj Wagle, former general secretary of Nepal Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA), said Israel´s offer to reopen its agriculture sector to Nepal was a great opportunity for Nepal. “We have to promote good sending practice to reap maximum benefits from the offer,” Wagle said. He further added that about 1,000 Nepalis were engaged in Israel´s agriculture sector till 2007 when Israel stopped recruiting Nepali workers.

Israel has been sourcing workers mainly from Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam for its agriculture sector.

Nepali manpower agents said Israel might have shifted its attention to Nepali workers as Thai workers are finding more lucrative jobs in agriculture sector in other developed countries.

Israel is home to around 12,000 Nepalis, mainly female workers, and a majority of them work as caregivers.

my republica