KP Sharma

The Department of Labour has once again reminded Bhutanese employers not to hire foreign workers for plumbing and electrical jobs.

The department said this rule was based on the Regulations of Foreign Workers Recruitment, which aim to boost skill development and encourage local hiring.

Despite a notification issued last year, some construction owners have continued to hire foreign workers for these restricted fields, making it more difficult for local plumbers and electricians to find work.

The department’s call is part of a broader strategy to address the ‘critical skills shortage’ in foreign workforce recruitment regulation.. The ministry added that foreign workers can only be considered for plumbing and electrical jobs if there is clear evidence of a local talent shortage or on a case-by-case basis.

“These occupations have now been classified as non-critical, a shift from their previous status as ‘closed occupations’ for foreigners,” the department said.

The notification also warned that employers who violate these regulations would face legal action under existing laws.

The department stated that hiring foreign workers for plumbing and electrical works without approval from the Chief Labour Administrator (CLA), or contrary to the specified occupation on the work permit, would be regarded as misuse or alteration of the permit.

Such violations are classified as a fourth-degree felony under Sections 221-222 of the Labour and Employment Act, 2007. These sections also apply to employers.

The Rules and Regulation on Foreign Workers Management, amended in 2024, further restrict foreign workers from participating in any trade or occupation listed as non-critical in the Critical Skills Shortage List (CSSL) without approval from the CLA.

According to the rules, a foreign worker who violates this regulation will face a fine of ninety times the daily minimum wage for a first offence. For a second offence, their work permit will be canceled, and they will be reported to the immigration department for deportation.

Parsuram Chamlagai, the focal person for electrical and plumbing services in Tsirang and Dagana, expressed concern that the employment of foreign workers in fields where Bhutanese are qualified undermines the prospects for locally trained technicians.

“When foreign workers take over jobs that Bhutanese are capable of doing, it discourages our own trained technicians and limits their employment opportunities,” he said.

He said that some graduates from Vocational Training Institutes (VTI) and Technical Training Institutes (TTI) have had to switch careers due to a lack of job opportunities.

He added that the demand for local workers remains high, despite perceptions that they are more expensive.

In Tsirang, Parsuram Chamlagai handles most electrical and plumbing work himself and has noticed a growing interest in these trades among young VTI graduates.

A group of TVET graduates working at construction sites in Thimphu also said that if employers follow the law, it benefits both the country and the employers. They believe that prioritising domestic workers not only creates more job opportunities but also ensures employers receive quality service.

The ministry’s recent reminder follows a meeting between the department and local workforce representatives, who raised concerns about this issue.