Government sets minimum wage for Nepali migrant workers

Kathmandu,April 19 –  Government has set the minimum wage for Nepali migrant workers going to Bahrain and Oman. Ministry of Labour and Employment has set the salary according to the suggestions of the diplomatic mission based in Saudi Arabia.

 

The ministry has set Bahraini Dinar 100 (Rs 22,850) for jobs in Bahrain and Omani Riyal 100 (Rs 22,400) for Oman. “Hereafter, demand for workers with below the minimum wage will not be accepted,” said spokesperson at the ministry Buddhi Bahadur Khadka. The rate was set according to the government policy to fix migrant workers’ salary at above $240 (Rs 20,700).

 

Outsourcing agencies and individuals have to take foreign job permits under the Foreign Employment Act 2007 to join foreign jobs. About two million Nepalis have joined jobs in the Gulf region in the last one and a half decades. However, the number of Nepalis working in the region exceeds 2.5 million as there are many undocumented/illegal migrants.

 

The Nepali embassy in Saudi Arabia, which also looks after diplomatic issues in Bahrain and Oman, had suggested the rate to the government. The government has already set the minimum wage for Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait.

 

According to the new wage plan, semi-skilled Nepali workers joining jobs in Bahrain and Oman will earn about 120 Bahraini Dinar (Rs 27,450) and 120 Omani Riyal (Rs 26,875), respectively. Similarly, minimum wage for skilled workers in both countries is 150 Bahraini Dinar and Omani Riyal.

 

Professionals will earn around 550 Bahraini Dinar (Rs 125,800) and Omani Riyal (Rs 123,200), respectively. The earning is similar to the minimum age set in other Gulf countries, he said.

 

Though the government has set the minimum wage for Nepali migrants in Gulf countries it is hard to enforce it.