The Bhutanese government is enhancing reintegration efforts for overseas citizens, focusing on the National Reintegration Program and the OEP. Returnees must meet eligibility requirements and undergo merit-based recruitment processes, with the ministry referring qualified candidates to relevant opportunities, promoting reintegration for national development. Over 500 Bhutanese who are employed or enrolled in school overseas have applied for reintegration assistance thus far. 160 of them have officially registered with the National Reintegration Program. The government admits that reintegrating foreign returns into the domestic workforce is still a major difficulty, even with advancements in program implementation and institutionalization of outbound labor migration.
15,396 Bhutanese have been placed through the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship’s Overseas Employment Program since it began in 2013. Currently, over 75,000 Americans are studying or working overseas, with Australia emerging as the most popular destination. According to Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, the OEP is still essential in combating youth unemployment since it gives young Bhutanese people exposure to and work experience abroad. To avoid an unsustainable exodus of young workers, the government is purposefully keeping the OEP modest. Lyonpo expressed concern about the increasing number of young Bhutanese people looking for work overseas on their own, frequently via unlicensed agencies or unofficial recruiters. As a result, many have found themselves in dangerous or exploitative workplaces on multiple occasions. Additionally, the ministry is stepping up its efforts to educate the public about the dangers of using unreliable recruitment agencies.