Nepal’s government has presented its budget for fiscal year 2083/84, roughly equivalent to 2026/27, with a broad package of measures aimed at non-resident Nepalis, overseas workers and diaspora communities worldwide. Non-resident Nepali groups have welcomed the proposals and urged the government to follow through on implementation, according to a Virginia Times report from Kathmandu.
The centerpiece of the diaspora-focused provisions is a proposed update to rules on non-resident Nepali citizenship. The government said the change will be guided by the principle of “once a Nepali, always a Nepali,” extending economic, social and cultural rights to Nepalis living abroad and bringing them into national development.
On investment, the budget opens Nepal’s secondary securities market to non-resident Nepalis and announces plans to issue diaspora bonds and encourage co-investment in startups and innovation. The government also said it will streamline foreign investment approvals, revise laws on profit repatriation and capital gains tax, and issue offshore bonds denominated in Nepali currency. A new visa bill aimed at easing investment-friendly immigration management is being prepared for Parliament.
The budget also sets out plans to build the legal and technical infrastructure needed to give overseas Nepalis voting rights.
For workers abroad, the government said people seeking foreign employment should receive skills training before departure. The budget also promises collateral-free loans for prospective workers and commits to making the overseas recruitment process more transparent and worker-friendly.
Labor agreements with existing destination countries will be reviewed, new agreements sought, and legal protections against exploitation tightened. Worker insurance and social security measures are also included in the budget.
Workers who return home will have access to a new “Returnee Migrant Program” designed to put their overseas skills and experience to productive use. A separate “Remittance-Investment Matching Fund” will seek to channel money sent home by workers into productive sectors, according to the budget.
Remote work gets formal legal recognition under the new budget, allowing Nepalis based at home to work for foreign employers. The government said the measure is intended to connect Nepali workers, particularly young people, to international labor markets without requiring them to leave the country.
The budget also includes fellowships to bring back Nepali researchers who have built international reputations in artificial intelligence. Nepali companies listed on the domestic securities exchange will be allowed to pursue listings in overseas markets, and products that have already established a global brand presence will be eligible for government incentives.
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