Although around 2,223 Nepali youths depart daily for overseas jobs, Nepal’s construction sector is grappling with a severe labor shortage and depends heavily on foreign workers. The Federation of Contractors’ Associations of Nepal (FCAN) estimates that more than 500,000 Indian and other foreign laborers are employed in the sector. The industry needs roughly 2.5 million workers, 45 percent of whom are Indian. Skilled Indian laborers—earning between Rs 50,000 and Rs 200,000 monthly—are filling the vacuum as Nepali workers shy away from skill-based training despite similar or even lower wages abroad. Contractors increasingly prefer returnee migrants for their better work discipline and productivity.