Nearly 5,000 Nepali workers who have obtained work permits issued by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization have been prevented from traveling to the UAE. Their work permits are expiring.

After the protests and escapes from jail on Bhadra 24, the UAE had stopped issuing work and visit visas for Nepalis. Due to the UAE's policy, Nepalis who have obtained work permits have also been prevented from going abroad.

A team led by Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs Association President Bhuwan Gurung has met Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal and requested permission to send Nepali workers who have already been issued work permits. Finance Minister Khanal said that Nepal cannot interfere in the matter of the UAE stopping visas citing its own security.

'It is within its rights for the UAE to decide not to issue visas citing its own security reasons. We cannot do anything about it,' said Rohan Gurung, former president of the association and a member of the team, quoting the Finance Minister, 'However, efforts will be made to address this issue through diplomatic channels.'

Businessmen have suggested that the UAE government should be informed about the blacklisting of passports of Nepalis who have escaped from prison. Sujit Kumar Shrestha, the first vice-president of the association, said, 'The UAE should be informed about the blacklisting of passports of those who have escaped. The UAE has become sensitive about this issue, so we need to convince them.'

Bire BK of Myagdi, who has been issued a work permit from the UAE, said that they are confused. 'The medical has been done, the company has selected us after the interview, the contract has been signed,' he said, 'even after completing all the procedures, we could not go.'

The practice of issuing visas after the issuance of work permits in the UAE has been going on. 'Getting a work permit means almost certainty of getting a visa,' said former president Gurung.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri informed that the Nepali Embassy is closely coordinating with the UAE. 'Our embassy is in constant coordination with the UAE on this issue,' he said.

The UAE is the main destination country for Nepali workers. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, about 40 percent of the workers who receive work permits go to the UAE. According to the statistics for the month of Shrawan, an average of 794 people have obtained work permits to go to the UAE every day. In the previous fiscal year, the number was around 752 people daily.

In addition, unofficial sources have reported that about 200 Nepalis go to the UAE every day on visit visas.

In the month of Shrawan alone, 17,779 people have obtained work permits for the UAE, while 6,059 people have obtained work permits again. Based on this, the statistics show that 23,838 people have obtained work permits for the UAE in the month of Shrawan alone.