Kathmandu – The Government of Nepal has decided to resume the issuance of labor permit renewals for Nepali workers employed in seven countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. With this decision, Nepali workers who had returned home on leave can now travel back to their respective countries of employment.
The decision to allow the renewal of labor permits for workers already employed abroad has brought some relief. Earlier, the renewal process for these countries had been suspended since Falgun 17 due to escalating conflict in the Middle East. According to the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, the suspension had been imposed in response to growing instability, security risks, and uncertainty in the region.
However, the government has maintained its previous decision not to issue labor permit renewals for Nepali workers in Iran, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Lebanon.
According to the Department of Foreign Employment, a total of 70,503 individuals—both new and returning workers—had received labor permits for foreign employment as of Magh. Among them, 48,226 workers had obtained permits to travel to 12 Middle Eastern countries. Four of Nepal’s top five labor destinations are in the Middle East: Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
n Falgun alone, the department issued labor permits to 52,000 individuals, including both new and returning workers. The government has also urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to countries in the Middle East experiencing heightened tensions and to suspend all non-essential travel.
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