Nepal, Sept. 13 -- Migration has a long history in Nepal. Up until the 1990s, migration was internal in nature and existed primarily from the hills to the plains or from rural to urban areas. Migration increased in the late 1990s and early 2000s for various reasons, including political conflicts. This pushed labour away to foreign countries. A majority of migrants went to India, but many low-skilled workers were attracted to the Gulf countries.

The 2011 census showed that at least one member of the family in about 25 percent of Nepali households was absent from home. The 2014 survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics estimated that 5 million persons, or almost 20 percent of the population, lived and worked in foreign countries. A majori...