Foreign employment · Safety checklist

Going abroad for work? Do these eight things first.

Every year hundreds of thousands of Nepalis leave for foreign jobs — and every year, unregistered brokers cheat many of them. This is the short, plain checklist that keeps you on the legal, protected path. Print it, tick it off, and take it with you.

The one rule: verify before you pay.

If anyone pressures you to pay first and check later — for a visa, an approval, an insurance policy, or a document stamp — that pressure is itself the warning sign. Walk away and confirm with the official body.

Get your DoFE labour approval firstMandatoryA job placement without the government labour permit is not legal. Verify it through the Department of Foreign Employment.
Use a licensed recruiting agency — and check the licenceFraud riskUnregistered brokers are the single biggest source of fraud. Confirm the licence with DoFE before you pay anything.
Buy the mandatory insurance from an approved insurerMandatoryCompare licensed insurers on DoFE's own insurance directory — never pay through an agent who won't show you the policy.
Know your Welfare Fund protectionsYour safety netRescue, medical help, and death or disability support come through the Foreign Employment Board. Know what you are entitled to before you go.
Read your contract before you sign itFraud riskCheck the job title, wage, hours, accommodation and return ticket — and that they match the demand letter. Keep your own signed copy.
Complete pre-departure orientation & any skill certificateRequiredThe orientation training is required — and a recognised skill certificate is what opens better-paid, higher-skilled roles.
Register at the Nepali embassy after you arriveOn arrivalSo your country knows where you are — it is what makes rescue and support possible if anything goes wrong.
Keep every documentKeep foreverPermit, contract, agency receipts, passport copies. They are your only proof if something goes wrong abroad.

Why this matters

Government of Nepal · Department of Foreign Employment — Annual Labour Sanction Statement, economic year 2082/083 (2025–26). Source

792,187

labour permits approved in 2082/083

~72%

went to just four countries — UAE, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia

<1 in 100

went at “Professional” skill level

Want the full picture — where Nepalis go, at what skill level, and what it means for you? Read the foreign-employment data page.

A strong, honest CV can't fix a bad route — but once you're in a real process, it's what gets a genuine employer to say yes.

Build your CV free

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules, fees and approved lists change — always confirm your own situation with the Department of Foreign Employment (dofe.gov.np), the Foreign Employment Board (feb.gov.np), and Nepal's embassy for your destination country.