Nepal Suspends Issuance of Work Permits for Middle East Amid Rising Tensions

Kathmandu. With tensions escalating in the Middle East, the government has temporarily suspended the issuance of labor permits for Nepali workers intending to travel to Gulf countries.

Minister for Labor, Employment, and Social Security, Rajendra Singh Bhandari, informed that labor permits for workers going for foreign employment to those countries have been halted for the time being due to the increased risks stemming from the latest volatile situation in the Middle East. Previously, the Department of Foreign Employment had been issuing labor permits regularly.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a special press conference to provide detailed information about the current situation in the Middle East, the statistics of Nepalis residing there, and the government's preparations for mitigating potential risks.

According to information provided by Ramkaji Khadka, Joint Secretary and Head of the Central Asia, West Asia, and Africa Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, approximately 1,729,288 Nepali citizens are currently residing in various Middle Eastern countries.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri stated that the ministry had already issued a travel advisory and had urged Nepalis through the respective embassies to stay safe and refrain from leaving their residences unless absolutely necessary. The ministry also announced that it is maintaining 24-hour updates through a WhatsApp group created for continuous coordination with ambassadors and heads of missions.

At the press conference, Ministry Joint Secretary Krishna Prasad Dhakal reiterated that the safety of Nepali citizens is the government's top priority. "The government is closely evaluating every situation.

Mechanisms are ready for rescue in case of an emergency," Dhakal said. "I urge all Nepali brothers and sisters, both at home and abroad, not to follow unverified and misleading information circulating on social media during such times, not to panic, and to trust only the official information issued by the respective embassies or the ministry."

The government has also urged Nepali citizens not to travel to those countries unless it is essential for the time being.