Kathmandu, June 14

Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today inked the revised bilateral labour pact ensuring that UAE-based employers will bear all the costs related to recruitment, employment and residency of Nepali workers in the Gulf nation.

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Gokarna Bista and Minister for Human Resource and Emiratisation Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli put their initials in the agreement.

The UAE is the fourth major destination of Nepali migrant workers, with over 50,000 Nepali workers migrating to the UAE annually for jobs.

Under the new labour agreement between the two nations, the cost borne by employers include air ticket costs, insurance fees, visa fees, medical examination fees and all other recruitment-related costs and fees. The UAE government will ensure that Nepali workers do not have to pay any recruitment related costs and fees.

Similarly, the revised labour pact states that the government of the UAE will ensure that the employment offer shall indicate the job specifications, required qualifications, types of jobs for which recruitment is proposed as well as the terms and conditions of employment offered, including wages, non-wage benefits, accommodation and transportation when applicable, end-of-service entitlement, and any other details required by the government of the UAE.

Along with this, the UAE government will also ensure the safety, security and welfare of Nepali workers with due regard to female workers.

Meanwhile, a joint committee represented by both the countries will be set up to ensure proper implementation of the programme and to determine other key items associated with the workers’ recruitment, employment and repatriation, including identification of all costs associated in the recruitment process, joint skills programmes.

Other provisions

• In cases of occupational injuries or diseases, employer will bear the cost of treatment of workers
• UAE government will ensure that all Nepali workers receive fair and equal treatment compared to other foreign workers in the UAE, including wage protection, working conditions, grievance handling and access to justice
• Nepali workers in UAE will be eligible to seek and obtain alternative employment when it is duly established that the employer has failed to meet contractual or legal obligations to the worker for any reason. In such cases, the worker will also have the right to return to Nepal if he or she so desires