The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Close to 400 Bhutanese workers have returned from overseas over the past 12 to 18 months, but the government’s structured efforts to reintegrate them face hurdles ranging from under-registration to inter-agency bottlenecks, according to data from the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship (DoEE).
In response to queries from The Bhutanese, the department revealed that 394 individuals have returned from abroad. However, officials noted that an unquantified number of returnees, particularly those coming back from Middle East countries, have chosen not to register under the National Reintegration Programme (NRP).
Out of those registered, only 19 returnees have secured stable employment across various sectors. To bridge skill gaps, the DoEE, in collaboration with the Department of Workforce Planning and Skills Development, recently conducted specialized training for 33 returnees in fields such as pastry baking, cultural guide training, and Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD). This cohort also includes a laid-off Dzongkha teacher.
Additionally, 33 returnees have completed an entrepreneurship bootcamp, with the top two business ideas receiving pre-seed funding as hand-holding support. The NRP centers on three core pillars: economic reintegration, psychosocial support, and career guidance advocacy. The department confirmed that it has set no quantitative targets for returns for the 2026–27 fiscal year, focusing instead on rolling out these support mechanisms.
However, scaling the program remains complex. DoEE cited structural hurdles, noting that differing institutional mandates, eligibility criteria, administrative procedures, and cross-policy boundaries across ministries, financial institutions, and civil society organizations often create bottlenecks that delay service delivery.
