The families who wait

Remittances are money sent home by people working abroad. Nepali migrants send these earnings to support relatives and pay for important household needs. The article mentions new roofs, school fees and motorbikes, but remittances also help families manage recruitment debts and daily expenses.

A husband in Qatar, a son in Malaysia or a daughter in the Gulf may work far from home for years. Money arrives, sometimes irregularly, while family members at home manage farms, children, parents and household costs. The income can improve living standards, but sending money does not erase the emotional burden of separation.

Remittances are now a major part of Nepal’s economy. In fiscal year 2025/26, inflows reached Rs2.363 trillion, about 35.8 percent of GDP. That scale means foreign employment will remain important. It also means support should address the families who depend on the money, not only the workers who earn it.

Nepal’s overseas labour system operates at enormous scale. The Department of Foreign Employment issued 792,187 labour approvals in fiscal year 2025/26. This figure indicates how many approvals were issued for foreign employment that year, rather than proving that every approval represented a different person who left.

The number was lower than the 839,266 approvals issued in 2024/25, but it remained very large for Nepal. Workers went to places including Qatar, Malaysia, Gulf countries and Japan. Their earnings travelled back to households across the country.

The financial result is striking. Nepal Rastra Bank recorded Rs2.363 trillion in remittance inflows during 2025/26. That amount equalled about 35.8 percent of GDP. The figures show why foreign employment matters nationally, while the article also stresses that economic measurements rarely capture the pressure carried by families who remain at home.

When a family member leaves for years, those at home inherit much more than emotional absence. A wife may manage the farm, household, children and ageing parents, often while living in her in-laws’ home. She also handles irregular remittances and debts borrowed for recruitment fees.

The pressure is practical and social. Relatives and neighbours may watch her closely and judge her spending or behaviour. Children may miss the absent parent, struggle at school or feel forced to become adults quickly. Grandparents may take responsibility for childcare even when their own health is poor.

These effects show why remittances do not tell the whole story of migration. Money can pay for education, housing and other needs, yet families still experience loneliness, anxiety and extra work. The article calls for local support, including health referrals, women’s groups and family-focused preparation before workers leave.

Waiting is stressful because family members carry responsibilities without knowing when the separation will end. Wives may run farms, raise children and care for parents while living under relatives’ scrutiny. They also manage money that arrives irregularly and debts taken on for recruitment fees.

The fear of bad news intensifies the strain. A missed call, an unanswered phone or a rumour about an accident can bring days of anxiety. Video calls may help, but poor connections, work shifts and rushed conversations often leave little room to discuss feelings.

Evidence from Jhapa shows the seriousness of the problem. A BMJ Open study surveyed 179 wives of migrant workers and found symptoms of depression in 54.7 percent, anxiety in 53.1 percent and stress in 60.9 percent. Local health posts, female community health volunteers and women’s groups could help identify distress and reduce isolation.

Families face both immediate fear and lasting consequences when a worker becomes ill, dies or disappears from contact. The worker may be the household’s main source of income. Relatives at home must cope with uncertainty while continuing to manage children, farms, debts and older family members.

The article describes how a missed call or an unanswered phone can cause days of anxiety. Death brings grief as well as practical problems. The Foreign Employment Board recorded 1,438 Nepali migrant-worker deaths between July 17, 2025, and June 14, 2026. Each death left a family waiting for difficult news and support.

Compensation may not arrive quickly enough. The article says families need practical and emotional help soon after a death, not only payments that may take months. Better emergency assistance and stronger communication could reduce the burden during illness, bereavement or prolonged uncertainty.

Nepal’s government and development partners already run programmes for migrant workers. These include pre-departure orientation and welfare funds. However, the article argues that services should also reach spouses, children and older relatives who absorb the daily strain of migration.

Local health posts and female community health volunteers are trusted in their communities. With basic training, they could notice depression and anxiety among migrants’ families and refer people for further help. Ward offices and local governments could support women’s groups, giving wives places to share advice and reduce isolation.

Pre-departure sessions could include families, covering communication, shared money management and available support. When a worker dies abroad, families need practical and emotional assistance quickly, alongside compensation. Writing, video calls and community support may also help families express feelings and remain connected during long separations.

Labour migration links Nepal’s households to overseas jobs. Workers leave for countries such as Qatar, Malaysia, Gulf states and Japan, then send earnings home. Families use the money for housing, schooling, motorbikes and recruitment debts. This system can lift households out of poverty and has become central to Nepal’s economy.

The mechanism has two sides. Income arrives from abroad, but care and responsibility remain at home. Wives may manage farms, children and older parents while handling irregular payments. Families also depend on workers who face illness, accidents or death far away. Their absence creates emotional costs that national income figures do not show.

In 2025/26, remittances reached Rs2.363 trillion, about 35.8 percent of GDP, while 792,187 labour approvals were issued. Foreign employment will remain important, but the article calls for family-centred health services, community groups, better preparation and rapid support after deaths.