Kathmandu: A total of 1,401 bodies of Nepali migrant workers who died abroad were repatriated and handed over to their families in the Fiscal Year 2024/25, according to data released by Nepal Police.
The highest number of fatalities occurred in the 26–30 age group, with 233 deaths recorded. Other major age categories included 226 deaths among those aged 31–35, 225 between 36–40, 215 between 41–45, and 172 between 21–25. There were also 117 deaths in the 46–50 age group and 71 among 51–55-year-olds.
Alarmingly, 29 individuals under 20 years of age also lost their lives while working abroad. Other age brackets included 24 deaths between ages 56–60, and 12 each in the 61–65 and 66–70 groups. Six individuals over the age of 70 also died.
Of the total, 481 bodies were repatriated with direct support from the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), while 1,086 were brought home through other channels.
The DoFE reported that it provided Rs 1.02 billion in compensation to the families of 1,517 deceased migrant workers during this period. The government currently offers Rs 1 million per deceased worker as financial support to their families.
The data underscores the high human cost of foreign employment, particularly among Nepal’s most economically productive population.