Statistics from the Department of Foreign Employment show a decline in the proportion of skilled Nepali workers going abroad. During the first half of fiscal year 2025/26, only 250,000 of the 402,074 labor permit holders—around 64 percent—were classified as skilled, down from 72 percent during the same period last year. Meanwhile, the number of unskilled workers increased sharply from 59,524 to 93,550. Experts attribute this trend to the continued failure to implement mandatory training provisions outlined in the 2018 skill development guidelines.
