This descriptive study investigatesinternal and external labor migration by Nepalese youth.External labor migration is separated into the flow toIndia, which is unregulated, and the flow to othercountries, which typically takes the form of temporarycontract migration to countries with bilateral laboragreements with Nepal (referred to in Nepal as foreignemployment). The study finds that labor migration byNepalese youth is extensive and male dominated. The regionswith the highest rates of labor outmigration are ruralTerai, rural Hills, and Mountains. Female labor migration ismostly within Nepal, whereas male labor migration is mostlyto other countries. Most labor migrants are wageemployed,and engage in services. Labor migration is positivelyassociated with education attainment for women, butnegatively associated for men. Labor migration is alsopositively associated with household economic status forwomen. Just four destination countries (Malaysia, Qatar,Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) account for themajority of foreign employment workers. Nepal’s foreignemployment system faces several challenges, includingimplementation shortcomings in the government’sinstitutional arrangements for workers, and the substantialmarket power of private recruitment agencies over workers.Male foreign employment outflow appears to be mainlyassociated with economic and other forces in the topdestination countries. Male youth labor migration hasnegative effects on the likelihood of employment and hoursworked for female and male youth household members whoremain at home, although the effects are not consistently significant.
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