As the impact of the war in West Asia increases, more than 2,000 Nepalis are being prevented from going to Gulf countries for employment every day. After the government suspended labor permits citing increased tension in the Gulf region, workers who had already received labor visas were also stopped. The government had not only stopped renewing new workers, but also those who had come on leave.

The Immigration Department has banned air travel for workers who have not received labor permits. The 'Emergency Response Team' chaired by Foreign Secretary Amrit Rai had recommended that the Labor Ministry not grant permits to new and old workers from West Asian countries.  Based on this, the Department of Foreign Employment has reopened labor permits for 7 countries from Tuesday, after stopping both new and old labor permits for 12 countries since 17 Falgun. Only labor permits have been reopened for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Jordan and Turkey.

It is still closed for new workers. Both new and old labor permits are closed for Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Lebanon and Israel. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, 70,503 people, including new and old, had been granted work permits for employment until last January. Of these, 48,226 had obtained work permits to go to 12 countries in West Asia. Four of the top five destinations for Nepali workers are Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Gulf.

Due to the lack of regular air services, even workers with European visas were not able to fly. On February 16, the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran. Soon after, Iran launched retaliatory attacks targeting US base camps in all Gulf countries, increasing insecurity. In February, the department had granted work permits to 52,000 people, both new and old. As of February 16, only 14,536 people who had received new visas in 10 countries in West Asia had been granted work permits, most of whom have not been able to fly.

Ujjwal Thapa of Sindhuli, who had spent Rs 200,000 to go to the UAE, said that the job he had received was in jeopardy. After completing the medical, visa and paperwork procedures, he was preparing to fly after the February 21 elections. ‘I am afraid that if I cannot go now, my money will also go down,’ he said, ‘Everyone at home is waiting for me, what can I answer!’ He is trying to go to the UAE to earn money for the further treatment of his sick wife. ‘I have to treat my sick wife, I also have to go for the future of my children, when will I go and pay off the debt, what will I do if I cannot go now?’ He said, ‘On the one hand, I am afraid of insecurity in the Gulf region.

On the other hand, I have to face the responsibility of my family. I am also afraid to go, if I do not go, the house will not run. This situation has become very difficult. I have stopped sleeping well at night.’ Vaikuntha Poudel Vaibhav, third vice-president of the Foreign Employment Businessmen’s Association, said that about 20,500 workers who have already received visas have also been stopped. "10,000 workers who have received visas to go to the UAE, 5,500 to go to Saudi Arabia, and 5,000 to go to Qatar have been stopped, all their procedures have been completed," he said. "Workers who came to Kathmandu to fly have had to return home." He said that the increased war tension in West Asia has hit Nepali employment. "73 workers had arrived in Kathmandu to go to Bahrain, I have sent them all home by paying bus fare," he said. "It is not certain when they will fly now."

Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment Mira Acharya said that the decision to renew work permits for 7 countries was made on Tuesday, which has opened the way for Nepalis who have come on leave to go to their employer countries. "There has been no decision to renew their work permits for Nepalis working in Iran, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Lebanon," she said. "The airports in these countries have not yet come into operation. Additional decisions will be made according to the situation. The situation is not yet favorable for new ones."

Some workers in camps, some returning After Iran continued its attacks on the Gulf countries, Nepali workers working in those areas have started staying in camps. Some companies have started sending workers back to Nepal. Iran has carried out drone attacks on the UAE's Shaha Gas Field, Fujairah Oil Port, Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura, Iraq's Majnoon Oil Field, and Oman's Salalah Port. It has also attacked projects in Misaid and Slafan in Qatar.

Similarly, Iranian attacks have been carried out on Dubai International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, and Iraq's Erbil International Airport. Thousands of Nepali workers are working in these areas. Ram Paswan of Sarlahi, who works at the Kuwait Airport, said that he has been staying in the camp for the past two weeks. Nepalis whose contracts in the UAE have expired and who are on leave are returning. They are about to come to Nepal via Saudi Arabia from Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is facilitating the return of those who are unsafe or in urgent need to return to Nepal via Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian land is connected to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE.