Outward migration of workers has been one of the most important features of contemporary Nepali society and economy. According to a World Bank report released in December 2018, Nepal's inward remittances as a percentage of GDP (30.1 percent) is the highest in Southasia and fourth highest in the world.
While countries like Malaysia and the Gulf states are some of the usual destinations for Nepalis seeking employment abroad, a significant proportion of Nepalis in fact migrate to India in search of livelihood. Since labour permits and complicated bureaucratic procedures are not required, Nepali workers often move back and forth across the open border. A large number of these migrants are women, about whom no reliable statistics are available.