International migration from Nepal is often costly. For instance, the average per-migrant cost of migrating to Qatar in 2016 was 1.14 times Nepal’s annual GDP per capita (Dongol et. al., 2025). As a result, 85% of Nepali migrants rely on informal loans to finance their moves. These loans often have high interest rates (with an average rate of 27% in 2023) leading to financial pressures to make repayments and often having a negative impact on the mental health of migrants (Kharel; Bhattarai; & Tumsa, 2023). Migrants have also been known to face high levels of contract fraud, often being deceived by sub-agents or receiving inaccurate information from family and friends about harsh living and working conditions and a lack of access to health care, social protection, and other basic services, as well as exposure to occupational hazards and long working hours. Indeed, contracts can often even be completely fake.

Dongol, P., Etang Ndip, A., Joshi, N. K., Mijiyawa, A. G., Phadera, L., & Sapkota, S. (2025) Nepal Development Update : International Migration and Well-being in Nepal (English). Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group. Available at: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099439009302442870/pdf/IDU-bade7473-0f41-4499-a576-83a9a3eb57d4.pdf (accessed 03/11/25).

Kharel, A., Bhattarai, S., & Tumsa, D. (2023). Recruitment Cost, Fraud and Redressal in Foreign Labour Migration from Nepal. Policy Brief (9). Available at: https://ceslam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Policy-Brief-9.pdf (accessed: 25/11/25).