The government has fixed the minimum monthly wage for Nepali workers heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 1,000 dirhams.
The
decision, taken on Thursday by Labour, Employment and Social Security Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari,
aims to protect workers from exploitation and ensure fair pay abroad, officials said.
According to
Minister Bhandari, this new wage threshold will now serve as a basic criterion for verifying demand
letters from UAE-based employers.
“The UAE
remains a preferred destination for Nepali workers, but many were previously working for as little as
800 dirhams a month,” Bhandari told the Post. “We have revised the wage structure based on the
recommendation of the Nepali embassy in the UAE.”
The
revised minimum wages are categorised based on their skill. For instance, unskilled workers get 1,000
dirhams (which equals Rs37,348 as of June 5), semi-skilled workers 1,200 dirhams, and skilled workers
get 1,500 dirhams.
Bhandari
emphasised that the move would significantly benefit low-wage earners. “This will provide financial
relief for thousands of Nepalis. The decision will now be forwarded to the embassy, and any demand
letter offering less than the set wage will not be certified,” he said.
As the
UAE has not set its own official minimum wage, Nepal has taken the initiative to protect its citizens
by evaluating market conditions on its own. Employers failing to meet the new wage criteria will no
longer be allowed to recruit Nepali workers.
Currently,
around 700,000 Nepalis are employed in the UAE across various sectors. The new wage structure is
expected to bring long-overdue financial security to many of them.
Source : kathmandupost.com