March 16, Kathmandu – The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has decided to reopen work permits for select Middle Eastern countries. Nepali workers employed in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, and Turkey will be eligible once again to obtain work permits.
Due to increasing conflicts and security concerns in the Middle East, the government had halted the issuance and renewal of work permits as per a ministerial decision on February 29. This suspension had impacted workers intending to travel to these destinations; hence, the ministry has now resolved to reopen work permits for these countries only.
The ministry has stated that this decision prioritizes destinations where risks have been assessed and found to be lower.
Previously, work permit issuance and renewal were also suspended for Iran, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Lebanon. Arrangements have been made to provide renewed work permits to Nepalese workers currently employed in these countries or those who have returned home on leave, according to ministry spokesperson Pitambar Ghimire.
The decision follows requests from Nepali missions and relevant stakeholders in the concerned countries, and is based on recommendations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Foreign Employment. The government emphasized that worker safety remains the foremost priority and that decisions will be adjusted progressively as situations evolve.
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