The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Youth out-migration is a growing concern in smaller dzongkhags like Haa, where many young people leave in search of education, jobs, and better opportunities.
This trend is reducing the local workforce and affecting the economic and social vitality of rural communities.
To this the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) Minister, Namgyal Dorji, said, “We recognize that youth out-migration is a pressing challenge in smaller dzongkhags like Haa, where limited opportunities drain the local workforce and weaken rural vitality.”
To address this, the government is pursuing a multi-layered approach that combines direct employment support, skills development, entrepreneurship promotion, and localized interventions.
“Through the Youth Engagement and Livelihood Program (YELP), young jobseekers receive monthly allowances while gaining work experience, which in Haa can be adapted to sectors, like agriculture, ecotourism, and cottage industries,” Lyonpo said.
For youth seeking international exposure, the Overseas Employment Program provides structured placements, while the National Reintegration Program ensures returnees reinvest their skills and resources locally.
Lyonpo said that Employment Service Centers (ESCs), though primarily based in larger towns, serve smaller dzongkhags through referrals and placements, while initiatives like GOWA bring employers directly to local governments and schools.
The government is also emphasizing early career guidance, bootcamps, and skills training to prepare young people for education, TVET, or entrepreneurship pathways.
Entrepreneurship promotion is prioritized in areas where formal jobs are limited, with seed funding, incubation, and mentorship helping youth start ventures in agriculture, creative industries, and digital services.
These efforts are reinforced through the Employment Responsibility System (ERS), ensuring ministries, CSOs, and the private sector coordinate effectively.
While out-migration continues both within Bhutan and abroad, MoICE’s strategy is to make employment and entrepreneurship programs for local economic strengths so that young people in dzongkhags, like Haa, can see a viable future at home rather than feeling compelled to leave.
