The jobs that are the most in-demand for expats in Nepal

I've never done any surveys on the size of the job market for expats who aspire to come to Nepal to find a job, but I can't imagine that with such high unemployment now prevailing, there are too many golden opportunities in the current context of the less than rosy economy. If this is any indication, I can't even think of one Employment Agency in existence in this country which does offer jobs to expats. On the other hand, the Employment Agencies that are thriving in the capital are the ones which offer employment to nepalis to go abroad and secure jobs there, be it in the Gulf or elsewhere. My understanding is that nepalis are leaving their homeland at the rate of 1,500 young people per day, to secure jobs abroad.
Back to the expat topic at hand and first things first. To be a foreigner and visit Nepal and this beautiful country for a few weeks or a few months is one thing. But to get a job and live here for any length of time is a totally different matter. There must be no confusion between these two things. In my humble opinion, the first most necessary and fundamental step for foreigners to take, is for would-be expats to be as sure as possible that they will like it to both work and LIVE here on a steady day-to-day basis, 365 days out of the year, perhaps longer. So my advice is that BEFORE applicants even write their CV and start their application process or search - especially those who've never been to Asia or may not be that familiar with Nepal - is for this category of applicants to come here on a short term exploratory visit. Discover first! As I see it, it is a must. Therefore, I strongly advise them to first make such visit of up to 150 days which foreigners can do on a Tourist Visa, to start familiarizing themselves with the country, its people, local customs, the language barrier etc.  After that, would-be expat/future job applicants will be in a far better position to make up their own mind as to whether Nepal is for them, or not? For some it may be a culture shock, or they may not be able to tolerate the level of pollution or something else. For others, it may be OK. Whichever the ball bounces, applicants should be prepared to accept a lower remuneration than they might otherwise be able to get in their home country, Each person will come away after their initial visit to Nepal with a different impression, reaction, level of tolerance and so forth. That's my view anyway. I for one would never recommend that applicants come here on a "take a chance" flyer, and unprepared. On the contrary, like the scouts, "Be prepared"!

Good point Pilar. I might add that it's also a well known fact that some of the most desirable categories of jobs for best pay/in dollars or foreign currencies, holidays, perks, health insurance, repatriation, etc, held by foreigners here are to found among employees of;
a.  Embassy staff
b.  UN, UNESCO and the like
c.   Other international entities
d.  INGO's
e.  Large or well known Volunteer Organizations
So while I realize that qualifications,  personal orientations and other factors will of course differ vastly from case to case, I would nevertheless suggest that while they are still on home soil, foreigners in particular contact one or more of the above, in those different categories, and send their CV/job application there...in home country first, for best results in the event they should succeed in landing a job with them.
The more homework applicants do on home soil, the better!
If job applicants still want to arrive in Nepal empty handed, I fear they will end up being terribly disappointed. Failures are common. The country is poor and job opportunities for foreigners far too limited in this country. 
For those people who are thinking of coming to start their OWN business, worth mentioning the fact that there are many sectors of businesses here in Nepal, that are completely CLOSED to them, at least under current Government policy as I understand it. The following list is not necessarily up to date or complete so I would advise people to check it out with a lawyer here:
- Travel Agency business
- Cottage industries
- Rural tourism
- Local catering services
- Trekking Agency
- Water rafting
- Pony trekking
- Horse riding
- Poultry biz
- Fisheries
- Bee keeping
- Consulting services in management field, accounting, engineering, legal services/profession
- International courier services
- Cigarettes, liquor store etc.
- Personal services such s barber shop, hair cutting, beauty salon or shop
- Tailor and tailoring
- Driving school

To work in Nepal, an absolute requirement is to have a Business Visa. So no hope to get application approved by DOI and Immigration. No Business Visa if foreigners apply in any of those case scenarios. In theory, the application process is easy. In practice, a great deal more complex. 
Reminder: foreigners are NOT authorized to work here if they are here on a Tourist Visa (max. 150 days).

It's a fact. The window of job opportunities for expats in this country is very limited.
One other aspect of jobs in Nepal has not been mentioned here. It's a fact that there is deep resentment and dislike really on the part of the local people against the possibility of any foreigner getting appointed to a job instead of them. A "why not, me?" me-first general attitude which, understandably, is attributable to the general poverty level in this country and lack of economic opportunities.  Probably the same in other under-developed countries. I'm not the first person to point this out. In his book Lords of Poverty, writer Graham Hancock puts it this way "Many educated and qualified Nepalese feel that their own skills, experience and motivation are better than those of any expatriate."
Just something to keep in mind.

There's always an exception to the rule. In an ad just published, Nepal Airlines (NAC) will most definitely consider hiring one or more qualified foreigner-airline pilots who can fly brand new 17 seater planes for them. According to KP newspaper , the planes in question were just delivered by China to NAC, but the problem is that they have no nepali qualified pilots, immediately available  to fly them. So until the airline can find qualified pilots, these new chinese planes will just have to be parked in the hangar according to the report.

Will someone explain to me how it's possible for a responsible corporate entity to pass an order for new planes - only to discover later at delivery time - that they lack the required number of experienced or well pre-trained pilots to fly them? Sounds like poor planning to me! I may be very german, but I don't get it.

Hans, I've been here for 7 years, but the first 5 years were spend waiting and wondering why nothing is happening. Now I've settled into 'Nepal time' and it's lovely. Really hard for Westerners to understand. Nepal is the 'chill-out' country; embracing that fact really helps.

It is difficult to get things done, like it takes days to find something like a ladder, and then have to rent a car or tractor to go pick it up and bring it home. If I were in the US or Germany I'd just zip on down to the Home Depot or some other international corp or look online and have it delivered. (I actually paid a villager a days' pay to go get it and put it on the roof of a bus.)

But for such a thing that new, highly skilled workers are needed it's much more complicated than buying a ladder. It may take awhile, but it will get done.

I don't think they have a good pilot training school who can provide pilots. That means they need to send students abroad for training. I don't think a couple weeks counts as experience when it comes to flying into our airports. Really scary!

Do you really want them to hire people without experience to do such a job?

Appreciate your comments. I've read about airports you have in Nepal like Lukla, which has the reputation of being the most dangerous airport in the world. So no, has to be the obvious answer to your question. On the contrary, nepal airlines require to hire pilots with the greatest possible degree of skill and experience to fly in and out of those high altitude places in the mountains, often under hazardous climatic conditions, if they are to prevent accidents, with possible loss of life.  Safety of passengers comes first. But if you are now saying there are no good pilot training schools in the country, that just compounds the problem. In that case, let's hope that NAC fills the posts with experienced foreign pilots, who will have answered their corporate ad. I also think these people need to do serious thinking for better planning ahead in the future. One doesn't order brand new planes, in order to have that expensive hardware just sit on the tarmac, and not immediately put to use, don't you see? Question of organization and getting their act together, really.

Bottom line for Nepal: If you want to come to Nepal for the beauty, adventure, etc. it's great, but some demographics like the under 30 crowd really struggle for jobs. If you can come and bring some industry to grow the country it would be wonderful. But to come here for work isn't a good idea. Do you really want to compete with someone for a $150 a month job?

Nepal is great for outsourcing (after training), bringing money to start or support work initiatives, export our high-quality crafts or to help in other ways to develop the country. But there are few jobs for foreigners.

This is the same issue all the countries are having now. How to support their own people when refugees or others come to take jobs. Look at what the US is doing to keep new (dark) people out. So, it's no surprise that the government of Nepal is working to protect and support their own people. It's the right thing to do.

Much appreciate having the benefit of your experience with good and long exposure to Nepal. You say that the Government is working to protect and support its own people.
I have this question for you:  What facts can you cite to back up that assertion?
With an interest in human rights and freedom of speech, I think we've all heard about Dr. Govinda KC, the Senior Orthopaedic Surgeon of Tribhuvan University, who recently ended his 14th hunger strike demanding reforms in the country's education sector. But now - 14 strikes later, arrest after a sit-in etc.,- we learn that Dr. KC has just filed - something NEW:  which is legal action against the head of the country's highest Court, Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli.
Somehow these events, and now legal action against the head of the entire Judicial system placed in charge of handing down Justice by the Government - seem inconsistent with the views you've expressed.
Please clarify and let us have your comments.
Thank you so much in advance.

Getting back to the original question, it would seem that, unless you are part of a foreign government or NGO and hired overseas, you would only come to work here as a labor of love to help the Nepali people.

What amazes me is that Nepal is so backwards that even Digital Nomads consider countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos  not only cheaper to live, but have better quality water, Internet, and public transportation.

It saddens me so much. With their abundant hydroelectric potential, their huge diversity of micro climates (from the Terai to Everest), hard working people, and being between the 2 most populous nations on earth, this place could be a paradise.

Yeah, Nepal could have been a paradise. They had a huge opportunity to be just that starting in 2008 after the Maoists laid down their arms and joined the establishment and the country became a Republic, but they muffed it. They are still haggling over the new Constitution. At that time, it was a golden opportunity. Unfortunately, in the decade that has followed, constant political instability and with too frequent changes in government - like the nomination of new PMs every 12-18 months kind of thing - have had a very negative impact on the country's development and economic growth. The toppling game is still going on and nobody knows when it will end. In the meantime, like you say, this very large potential of hydroelectric power, for example, has not been developed nearly the way it ought to have been. Where the country goes from here is anyone's guess. I agree, all of us can feel sorry for the people, particularly those at the bottom of the pile, Very sad all this, like you say.

Fear that Hans' prophesy (his remarks of February 13, 2018) will turn out to be absolutely correct. It's just been announced that that Nepal Airlines - nation's largest carrier - on the verge of bankruptcy - is seeking a critical financial bailout. Severe under-utilization of two A-330s and lack of  qualified pilots to fly them is being reported. Those planes, they say, were purchased less than 4 months ago in largest jet puchase in history of country's aviation.

Gross mismanagement. No airline in the world can afford to fly Airbusses for less than 7 hours a day and for less than 50% of required flight time.

If Nepal Airlines does go broke, can forget that offer for jobs the company had announced only a few months ago.
To complicate matters, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation recently announced that come April 2019, they would close the country's only international airport for a full 10 hours every day from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. to repair, they indicated, cracks and potholes in TIA's runways. It appears that this runway rehabilitation, postponed from 2014, will now be carried out by a chinese contractor.