Originally from Panchthar district in Nepal, Narendra Bhattarai had aspired to be a writer, poet and filmmaker in his home country before moving to Qatar in 2007 in search of better opportunities.
Mr. Bhattarai planned his move carefully: He paid the agent a large sum of money to ensure he got a relatively well-paid job as a driver.
But after arriving, he was forced to work as a construction worker, receiving just 600 riyals per month of the guaranteed salary of 900 Qatari riyals (about $247 at the time).
“I dreamed of providing a quality life for my family, but ended up becoming a victim of labour exploitation,” Bhattarai told DW.
Bhattarai had to work hard in Qatar for several years to repay his debts, before returning to Nepal and rekindling his passion for poetry and filmmaking, but continuing to struggle financially.
In 2019, the artist was travelling to Portugal for a film screening when he discovered he could apply for residency and work legally in the EU country and decided to stay.
“Long-term residence in Europe would mean certainty for the future for me and my family,” he told DW.
Portugal opens up in the late 2010s
Bhattarai was one of hundreds of Nepalis who found work in Portugal in 2019.
According to official Nepali government data, only 25 people received Portuguese work permits in 2018, but the number jumped to 461 the following year.
According to the European study, “Rethinking the approach to labour migration – A full case study of Portugal,” Portugal needed workers with lower skill levels and allowed them to take up jobs “especially in agriculture and tourism.”
Between 2019 and 2024, many European countries reported more than doubling in the number of Nepalese workers, with Romania leading the way with a 640% increase.
Why is Europe becoming so popular?
Countries such as Kuwait also saw a surge in Nepali migrant workers during the same period, but experts believe that Nepali labour migration patterns are changing.
Many workers are eschewing traditional destinations in Asia and the Persian Gulf, opting for EU countries such as Poland, Romania, Portugal, Malta, Hungary and Croatia.
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Part of this can simply be explained by better income opportunities and easier access to work abroad.
“Our socio-cultural structure has shaped the mentality of saving for the future,” sociologist Tikaram Gautam told DW.
“Globalization provides multiple options for labor migrants, encouraging them to choose destinations that offer higher incomes.”
But there's also the issue of fame and peer pressure.
Nepal-born Deepak Gautam has worked as a security guard in Dubai for 10 years and earns enough to send part of his salary home, but he says he still faces scorn for not working in Europe.
“In Nepali society, working in Europe is considered an honour, but those of us working in the Gulf countries are considered failures,” he said.
Nepali society believes that European countries can offer better working conditions, higher wages and more opportunities.
Dipak also tried to apply for a work visa to Poland but was rejected twice.
Why are young workers leaving Nepal?
According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), remittances from migrant workers could account for up to 26.6 percent of Nepal's GDP in 2023, worth an estimated $11 billion.
The Himalayan country's labour market is plagued by political turmoil, lack of large-scale hiring plans and poor talent management.
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At the same time, the country is very liberal when it comes to its political system, education, and access to technology.
According to labour expert Meena Poudel, these factors have made Nepalis more informed and cosmopolitan and have higher expectations of their government.
“They are aware of global trends but they cannot compare with the experience they can get in Nepal,” she explained.
Decreasing employment of local unskilled workers
In recent years, countries such as Malaysia and the Gulf states have raised standards for migrant workers.
“Employers have also started looking for skilled manpower, forcing semi-skilled and unskilled workers to look for alternatives,” Poudel said.
At the same time, several European countries have relaxed their immigration laws, making it easier for foreign workers to obtain visas, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, domestic work, hospitality and construction.
European countries are also seen as offering more freedoms with less risk of labour exploitation.
Realizing the dream of a better life in Europe
Germany revised its skilled immigration law last year and introduced the concept of “opportunity cards” for third-country nationals seeking employment.
Vijay Limbu had been working in Qatar before moving to Malta six months ago with the dream of finding work in Germany.
“I'm improving my skills and learning the language to meet the requirements for a residence permit,” he told DW.
At the same time, he warned, “migrant work is always uncertain.”
Nepalese author Narendra Bhattarai's new home of Portugal is a case in point, where recent legal changes have increased obstacles for migrants who want to work and settle in the country.
Bhattarai says he is “spiritually and financially satisfied” with his life in Portugal, which has helped him rediscover his passion for writing.
“I believe I came to Europe at the right time,” he said.
Editor: Darko Janjevic
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