Norvic International Hospital Raises Nurses’ Salaries
21st October 2025, Kathmandu
In a significant move that is expected to resonate across Nepal’s private healthcare landscape, Norvic International Hospital has publicly announced a substantial salary increase for its nursing staff.
Norvic Nurses’ Salaries Raised
Effective October 18, 2025 (Kartik 1, 2082), nurses holding a bachelor’s degree will now receive a minimum monthly salary of NPR 37,000. This proactive decision not only surpasses the current government-mandated minimum pay for nurses but also establishes Norvic as a potential leader in staff compensation among Kathmandu’s private hospitals, directly addressing the widespread discontent over low wages that has fueled recent national protests by healthcare professionals.
This pivotal action by Norvic, marking the second salary revision within the current fiscal year, signals a dedication to enhancing staff welfare and morale. It comes at a crucial time when the Nepali government is actively involved in resolving a major dispute over fair wages, underscoring the hospital’s commitment to protecting the interests and motivation of its medical workforce through improved pay and working conditions. The ripple effects of this increase are likely to be far-reaching, influencing recruitment, retention, and the overall standard of compensation within the healthcare industry.
How Norvic’s NPR 37,000 Compares to the National Standard
The newly announced salary of NPR 37,000 for a bachelor’s degree nurse at Norvic International Hospital places it securely above the minimum thresholds established by the Nepali government. The official government-mandated minimum salary for nurses stands at NPR 34,730 per month. By offering an entry-level salary that is approximately NPR 2,270 higher than the national minimum, Norvic is setting a competitive precedent for the private sector.
When evaluating this against the broader salary landscape for nurses in Kathmandu, the increase appears even more significant. Pre-existing data and reports from within the private health sector frequently cite distressingly low monthly salaries, often ranging from NPR 10,000 to NPR 15,000 for many nurses in less reputable or smaller private clinics and hospitals. Even senior nurses in some private institutions have been reported to earn up to only NPR 35,000 per month.
Furthermore, while government hospital nurses typically earn salaries in the range of NPR 30,000 to NPR 55,000 per month, the Norvic salary positions a bachelor’s degree-holding nurse well within this competitive bracket, bridging a gap that has historically favored the public sector in terms of base pay. This places Norvic’s offering among the highest starting salaries for qualified nurses in Kathmandu, making it an extremely attractive employer for healthcare professionals seeking equitable compensation.
The Context of Nurse Protests and Government Intervention
Norvic’s decision is particularly timely, coinciding with a period of intensified labor unrest among nurses across the country. In October 2025, nurses from various private medical colleges and hospitals, including prominent institutions like Manipal Teaching Hospital and Gandaki Medical College, have been engaged in prolonged protests. Their central demand is the strict implementation of the government-set minimum salary of NPR 34,730, which many private institutions have demonstrably failed to enforce. Reports from the protest sites indicate that some nurses were earning as little as NPR 15,000 to NPR 20,000 per month, prompting them to demand wages closer to the fifth-level government scale, often around NPR 40,000.
In response to the mounting pressure and the critical disruption of healthcare services, the government, under the direction of Prime Minister Sushila Karki, took decisive action. On October 19, 2025, a 14-member committee was officially formed, coordinated by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr. Shree Krishna Shrestha. This high-level committee includes representatives from multiple key ministries (Health, Home, Finance, Labor, Education), the Nepal Nursing Council, the Nepal Nursing Association, and even representatives of the protesting nurses and private hospital associations. The committee is tasked with submitting a preliminary report within a week to propose both immediate and long-term solutions to the pervasive salary dispute.
By proactively raising its salary to NPR 37,000, Norvic is effectively distancing itself from the hospitals that are currently under fire for exploitative pay practices, setting a gold standard that other private institutions may soon be compelled to follow.
Impact on Recruitment, Retention, and the Healthcare Labor Market
The increase in compensation by Norvic International Hospital is a critical strategy with significant implications for the highly competitive nursing labor market in Nepal. Academic studies consistently highlight that a satisfactory wage and robust compensation system are key factors in both nurse recruitment and retention.
Enhanced Recruitment Edge: By offering NPR 37,000, Norvic will immediately become a preferred employer for fresh bachelor’s degree nursing graduates and experienced professionals looking to move from lower-paying institutions. This move positions the hospital to attract the best available talent from a pool currently dominated by professionals seeking to migrate abroad due to poor domestic pay—a phenomenon known as the skill drain.
Increased Retention and Morale: While salary is not the sole factor in job satisfaction (work environment, workload, and professional development also play critical roles), it is a foundational component of perceived fairness. The higher pay is expected to reduce staff turnover, especially in a nation where low pay and a stressful work environment are cited as primary reasons for nurses leaving the profession or the country entirely. This second salary revision in a single year also sends a powerful message of recognition and value, boosting organizational commitment and morale among the existing nursing staff.
Pressure on Competitors: The Norvic decision puts immense pressure on other private hospitals in Kathmandu and major urban centers. Hospitals currently paying significantly lower wages (e.g., NPR 15,000 to NPR 20,000) will struggle to retain their trained personnel as nurses seek out the more lucrative opportunities at Norvic and other complying institutions. This could lead to a market-driven correction in nurse salaries across the private sector, aligning compensation more closely with the government’s minimum standard and the required skill level. The hospital’s decisive action could serve as a powerful catalyst for systemic change, lending weight to the demands of the protesting nurses and validating the government’s recent directives.
Norvic International Hospital’s commitment to fair compensation, demonstrated by its decision to pay qualified nurses a salary exceeding the government minimum, represents a positive step toward addressing the systemic undervaluation of healthcare professionals in Nepal. This action not only safeguards the hospital’s own workforce but also challenges the entire private health sector to adopt more ethical and sustainable pay practices.
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