The World Cup Is Ending, but the Migrant Labor Economy Grinds On

Mr. Sunuwar knows that working abroad — which would mean taking on more debt to secure a job and then having limited say over his working conditions — could be a risk to his health. But despite these concerns, he is seriously considering it.

Times reporters witnessed a near daily scene at Nepal’s main international airport in Kathmandu: the arrival of coffins, primarily from the Gulf and Malaysia, carrying the bodies of migrant workers. Since 2010, when the World Cup was awarded to Qatar, 2,100 Nepalis have died there of all causes, according to Nepal’s Labor Ministry.

An estimated 2,000 migrant workers continue to depart from the same airport every day. Despite the grueling working conditions, like extreme heat in the Gulf, many feel they have no alternative to foreign employment. As a result, young men are absent from many homes, and families spend years apart. About a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product is earned abroad, one of the highest percentages of any country.

Nicole Salazar and Sarah Kerr reported from Kathmandu and Doha, Qatar, and Pramod Acharya from Kathmandu.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/12/sports/world-cup-migrant-workers.html