Nepal Continues to Witness a Rise in Labor Migration

Bijeta Bhandari/Himal Neupane

Nepal continues to witness a steady rise in labor migration as employment opportunities within the country remain limited.

According to the Department of Foreign Employment, between mid-December 2025 and mid-January 2026 alone, 55,541 men and 7,018 women received labor permit approvals under unskilled, skilled, professional, and highly skilled categories.

This growing out-migration has not only emptied villages of youth but has also significantly increased the social and economic burden on women.

From farming and family management to development work and social leadership, women in the hinterlands of Nepal have no choice but to roll up their own sleeves.

A clear example of this changing reality can be seen in Tallo Sathighar village of Waling–6 in Syangja district.

Daily household chores, agricultural work, community development, and social administration are now largely handled by women.

Despite the common belief that women’s participation in social, economic, and political sectors is limited, Tallo Sathighar has shown that a village can function and move forward through women’s leadership alone.

With a situation resembling “one house, one abroad,” the village is now home mainly to women and elderly residents, leaving women to address every challenge that arises.

From working in the fields with children on their backs to managing households and extended families, women shoulder all responsibilities.

When someone dies, women now have to take part in cremation rites that were traditionally carried out by men in the family.

As women in villages like Tallo Sathighar continue to carry the weight of households, communities, and development, their contribution remains largely unsupported by policy and resources.

Unless sustainable employment opportunities are created within the country and women-led communities are backed with targeted programs, the unseen burden carried by women in these emptying villages will only continue to increase.