‘Will it give me a job?’: Nepal’s election promises don’t stop youth exodus
Summary
Nepal’s chronic youth unemployment and lack of local economic opportunities drive a massive exodus of young workers seeking jobs abroad, despite political promises to create jobs.
Key Points
- Nepal has the highest youth unemployment rate in South and Southeast Asia at 20.6%, leading to a large outflow of young workers abroad.
- Around three million Nepalis, many of them youth, currently work overseas, with about 1,500 leaving daily for foreign employment.
- Major political parties are pledging to create over a million jobs to stem migration, but skepticism remains about their ability to deliver.
- Remittances from foreign workers form nearly 25% of Nepal’s GDP, but have not translated into sufficient local job creation or improved wages.
