Govt plans labor permits for undocumented Nepali women in Gulf, Malaysia

KATHMANDU: The government has decided to issue labor permits to undocumented Nepali women working in Gulf countries and Malaysia.

Minister for Labour and Employment Sharat Singh Bhandari announced on Monday that a formal decision would soon be made to address this issue. “Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf countries and Malaysia often face challenges due to prolonged stays. The government must provide needful support for them,” Bhandari said.

The government stopped providing labor approvals for Nepali women seeking domestic work in Gulf countries and Malaysia in 2015.

According to the ministry, there are approximately 700,000 undocumented Nepali women in Malaysia and Gulf countries – primarily in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE.