Safer Migration (SaMi) Program is a bilateral initiative between the Government of Nepal and the Government of Switzerland. It is implemented by the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security and 156 participating local governments. Helvetas Nepal provides technical assistance to the program on behalf of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The overall goal of the project is that migrants & their families are better protected by concerned Nepali institutions and benefit from decent work conditions abroad.

Through the two first phases of the project (2011-2018) of implementation, SaMi has proposed concrete models and approaches to improve foreign employment governance and the protection of migrants and their families. 

The Phase III of SaMi has been extended until 15 July 2024. It was planned for 4 years, from 16 September 2018 to 15 July 2022. Phase III builds on the lessons learned from Phase II and supports the GoN to fully manage their services..

In addition, Phase III of SaMi takes place in the context of the state’s federalization process, which gives important competencies to the local governments (palikas), including on Foreign Employment. SaMi III will also support this transition and in particular local governments’ capacities to exercise their function according to good governance criteria.