Kathmandu.KATHMANDU: The Government of Nepal has suspended the labour permit for foreign employment in the Middle East and Gulf countries for the time being.
According to the decision of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (Honorable Minister-level) dated 2082-11/17, the Department of Foreign Employment has issued a notice stating that the labour permit has been suspended until further decision.
For which countries have labour permits been withheld?
According to the department, both individual and institutional labor permits have been suspended in countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Israel.
The Foreign Labor Permit Section in Tahachal issued a notice saying that no new work permits would be taken from these countries until further notice and urged the workers not to stay at home or travel for the time being.
Middle East tensions and impact on Nepali workers:
In recent years, the United States and Israel have attacked Iran and retaliated against US military bases in the Middle East.
How much risk are Nepali workers?
Hundreds of thousands of Nepali workers in Qatar have been terrified after Iran launched missiles and drones targeting Qatar’s Al-Udeid, UAE’s Al-Dhafra, Kuwait’s Al-Salem and the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.
Nepalis working in construction or security sectors around U.S. military bases are at high risk.
Thousands of Nepali workers have been stranded at airports due to flight disruptions at busy airports like Qatar, Dubai and Kuwait.
Impact on the economy and remittances:
The Gulf countries are the main source of remittance, which is the backbone of Nepal’s economy.
1. Job cuts: If tensions prolong, there will be zero new demand letters, which will further complicate Nepal’s unemployment problem.
2. Decline in remittances: Experts have warned that the stoppage of remittances from countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia will put a direct pressure on Nepal’s foreign currency reserves.
3. Price rise: Instability in the Middle East is sure to increase the price of petroleum products in the international market, which will also increase the price in Nepal.
Government:
The Government of Nepal has tried to protect its citizens from further risk by stopping the labour permit for the time being. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also issued a travel advisory to Nepalis in Israel and Iran to adopt safety precautions and not to go out except for essential purposes. The ministry has also said that it is planning for rescue flights if the situation worsens.
