Microsoft laid off 15,000+ so far this year. TCS is letting go of 12,000 more.

Hello and Namaste from Nepal!

We’re thrilled to bring you our latest edition of Nepali Dias Express, your trusted weekly digest of what’s happening back home, why it matters, and how it connects to Nepalis living around the world.

🇳🇵 NEPALI HEADLINES

1. MCC Projects Are Back!

After months of radio silence and conspiracy-fueled Facebook rants, the Trump administration has officially lifted the suspension on MCC-funded projects in Nepal.

Yes, that MCC, the same one we protested, then signed, then froze, and now, we’re back to laying transmission lines like nothing ever happened.

On July 24, the US sent Nepal a “Dear Ex-Govt, Let’s Get Back Together” letter. Our Finance Ministry said yes. Expect roadwork and power line delays to resume shortly.

Moral of the story: Never say never in international development. Especially when it comes with billions of dollars and Twitter drama.

2. Ten Companies = 27% of NEPSE = Late Capitalism?

You know how in school, one kid always answered all the questions and the rest of us just sat there? That’s Nepal Stock Exchange right now.

NEPSE just crossed market capitalization of Rs. 5 trillion, and out of that, just 10 companies account for Rs. 1.37 trillion; over 27% of the entire stock market.

Leading the list:

• Bishal Bazaar Company: Rs. 233 billion

• Nepal Reinsurance: Rs. 215 billion

• Nepal Telecom: Rs. 167 billion

• Nabil Bank: Rs. 148 billion

• Citizen Investment Trust: Rs. 136 billion

The rest? Just trying to pass the semester.

NEPSE today feels like a group project where only 10 kids did all the work. And everyone else is holding IPO lotteries hoping to get lucky.

3. Driver’s License Now Valid for 10 Years!

Finally, some good news. Nepal has officially doubled the validity of driving licenses (from 5 years to 10 years.)

So finally half the trips to the DoTM office, half the chaos, half the bribes? we’ll see.

4. $1 = Rs. 140. Pain. Just Pain.

It happened. The Nepali rupee just hit Rs. 140 per US dollar.

We used to joke that the only thing growing in Nepal was the dollar rate. Now it’s not even funny anymore.

If you’re earning in dollars, congratulations.

If you’re paying tuition abroad, importing goods, or buying anything tech-related, our condolences.

Dear rupee, if you're going to fall, at least take gold prices down with you.

🌏 GLOBAL BRIEFS

1. Layoffs Galore: Nepali Diaspora in Crosshairs

In today’s deep dive, we unpack how global tech layoffs, from Microsoft to TCS, are turning into full-blown crises for thousands of Nepalis working abroad.

We’re talking expired visas, frozen bank accounts, and families in Nepal suddenly missing that monthly remittance, all because of a two-line email from HR.

And when these professionals return home, they find a system that offers no reintegration plan, no remote work support, and no space for their skills.

Scroll down for our deep-dive on this!

2. Australia Bans YouTube for Under-16s

Australia is banning children under 16 from using social media, and they just added YouTube to the list.

The government originally made an exception for YouTube, thinking it’s “educational.” But now they say it exposes kids to harmful content, so they’re banning it too, starting December 10, 2025.

Google (YouTube’s parent company) is not happy and may sue. But Australia’s government says: “Do your worst.”

Takeaway: No YouTube for Aussie teens. No tolerance for tech company tantrums.

3. The World Promised to Triple Renewable Energy. It’s Not Happening.

At the 2023 UN Climate Summit in Dubai, 130 countries promised to triple their clean energy by 2030.

Guess how many have actually updated their national plans since then?

Just 22 countries. Most of them in Europe. Big polluters like the U.S., China, and Russia are lagging behind, or not even trying.

This means,the planet is still on track to overheat, and clean energy promises remain mostly promises.

Deep Dive: Microsoft laid off 15,000+ so far this year. TCS is letting go of 12,000 more.

When Sushant, a fictional character from a very real world, was laid off from Microsoft in May, he didn’t panic. He updated his resume, messaged a few recruiter friends, and told his parents in Nepal that he was “just between projects.”

Three weeks later, his H-1B visa clock started ticking.

Suddenly, it was less about finding a job and more about survival.
And as of this week, he’s down to 12 days.

Welcome to the new reality of being Nepali abroad in 2025.

Because while the world obsesses over AI, innovation, and efficiency, thousands of Nepalis like Sushant are quietly staring at unpaid leases, frozen bank accounts, and a one-way ticket home.

Ask someone in Kathmandu if this storm matters, and they’ll probably shrug.

But the thing is, it matters more than ever.

The Layoff Season Isn’t Over, It’s Just Evolving

Forget the idea of a single, crashing tsunami of layoffs. What’s happening now is quieter, more strategic, and frankly, more sinister. It’s a global culling that’s accelerating in stealth mode.

The sheer scale is staggering:

• Intel: 21,000 people. A full 20% of their global team, gone.

• Microsoft: Over 15,000 axed in 2025 alone, with 9,000 shown the door in July.

• TCS: A record-breaking 12,000 cut from the rolls, the largest in Indian IT history.

• Meta: 3,600 vaporized through "performance restructuring"; a sterile term for a layoff designed to avoid bad press.

The list of names reads like a stock market index: Google, Amazon, Salesforce, Panasonic, Nissan, Boeing. The cuts just keep piling up.

But the most infuriating part of this story isn't the 'who' or 'how many'. It's the 'why'.

These companies aren't bleeding money. They are wildly profitable. These layoffs are not about them having to survive. It's about "rightsizing" to juice their stock prices and impress Wall Street. And it’s about clearing the decks for their new golden child: AI.

For thousands of us, the glorious future of AI begins with a cold, impersonal exit interview.

If you think that's just how the tech world works, look at TCS. This was a company famous for its promise of a job for life. Now, it's systematically trimming mid and senior-level managers.

And don't let Meta’s smaller number fool you into taking a breath. The era of the single, massive layoff is over. Today, the cuts come in waves. Quarter after quarter. Team by team. One quiet "reorg" at a time.

Nepalis Abroad Are on the Frontline, Just Not in the Headlines

Here’s what makes this more than just a global HR shuffle:
The diaspora is disproportionately exposed.

Nepalis living abroad; especially in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, are heavily concentrated in the very sectors being hit:

• Tech and IT

• Logistics and warehousing

• Retail and manufacturing

And in places like the U.S., where over 69% of global tech layoffs are happening, that exposure is now turning into a full-blown crisis.

Let’s take the U.S. example:

• On an H-1B visa? You have just 60 days after being laid off to find a new job.

• Can’t get hired in time? You’re out, literally.

• No unemployment safety net. No grace period extensions. Just a countdown.

“I’ve lived in Texas for 6 years, paid taxes, bought a house, got married here,” one laid-off Nepali QA engineer told us. “Now I have 14 days to leave.”

In Australia and Canada, it’s no better. Job loss impacts your PR application, work permit, or express entry points. Even a short gap can reset your immigration clock; or worse, eject you from the system entirely.

It’s Less About The Job and More About Identity.

Let's be honest. For anyone who moved abroad, the job was never just the job. It was the proof. The symbol of making it, the ticket to stability, the answer to the question "was it all worth it?"

So when that job disappears, it’s not just a paycheck that it rips out. It attacks your sense of control, your very right to remain in the country, and your ability to be the person who supports family back home.

But the heaviest blow, the one we whisper about but never say out loud, is the shame.

Thousands are living a double life right now: frantically applying for jobs by day, then forcing a smile for the family Zoom call by night, pretending everything is fine.

It isn't. And for the families back home who count on that monthly transfer, the silence is starting to get very loud.

When One Layoff Cuts Across Continents

Let’s bring it back to Nepal for a moment, because even if this story starts abroad, its consequences flow right back.

Here’s how:

• Nepal gets over $10 billion a year in remittances; more than 25% of its GDP. A large chunk of that comes from skilled migrants, most of whom, are now at risk

• Missed transfers mean no tuition for younger siblings, no EMI for home loans, and no buffer for family emergencies

And that’s just the micro level.

If you look at it from a macro level, it gets quite concerning.

CloudFactory runs its operations primarily from Nepal, and it already cut 12% of its workforce due to foreign client contraction

Moreover, USAID-funded projects cut 1,500+ Nepali jobs in early 2025

In short: When you lose your job abroad, someone in Nepal feels it. Even if they don’t know it yet.

There’s No Backup Plan for the Diaspora

For a country that depends so heavily on its people abroad, Nepal has a terrible way of welcoming them back.

There’s no soft landing. No grand plan.

There’s no official channel to help you reintegrate. No one to match your hard-won skills with a job that needs them. Forget getting a tax break; you can't even easily open a dollar account to make a living.

So when a professional is forced to pack their bags and return, they aren’t met with open arms. They’re met with a wall of indifference.

Their international experience is shrugged off. They’re treated like foreigners in their own home. The same government that celebrated their remittance dollars is suddenly silent.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow.

What Now? Practical Moves for the Diaspora

It's easy to feel helpless right now. But panic is a luxury we don't have. It's time to focus on what you can control.

If you've been laid off:

• The shock is real, but you have to move fast. The clock is your enemy now. Start the job hunt today.

• Your community is your lifeline. Dive into the Nepali diaspora tech and job groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. A referral from a friend is your single best weapon.

• Become a visa expert overnight. Does your grace period have any loopholes? Can you get a freelance permit? Know your options inside and out.

• Call an immigration lawyer. If your visa is tied to your job, this is more of a necessity than a suggestion. 

• Let your family in. Carrying this burden alone will crush you. They can handle the news; let them help.

If you're still employed (for now):

• Build a financial bunker. If you don't have at least six months of living expenses saved up, building that emergency fund is now your top priority.

• Network like your job depends on it. Because, frankly, it might. Grab that coffee, send that LinkedIn message, reconnect with old colleagues.

• Keep your escape-hatch ready. Update your resume every month, not every year. Keep a running list of every project, every win, every new skill. Be ready to go at a moment's notice.

• Start sketching out your 'Plan B: Nepal'. If coming home has ever been a thought, start planning it now; on your own terms, not as a last resort.

From Shame to Solidarity

Let’s end where we started.

Sushant has 12 days left on his H-1B clock.
He’s sent out 87 job applications.
So far, he’s gotten three rejections and one interview.

If it works out, he stays.
If it doesn’t, he flies back to Nepal with two suitcases, a half-finished career, and a shattered dream.

There are thousands of Nepalis like Sushant.
Some are speaking out.
Most aren’t.

But the silence is breaking. And this newsletter? It’s part of that crack.

Because maybe it’s time we stopped pretending everything’s fine.
Maybe it’s time we start talking.

If You’ve Been Affected

Tell us your story.
Email us. Message us. Write anonymously.
We’ll share it, because your voice might help someone else feel less alone.

Until then, wherever you are, stay grounded.

Stay connected. Stay human.
— Team Nepali Dias