KATHMANDU:- The labor approval process for foreign employment, which had been suspended for some time due to the recent tense situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, has now resumed.

The government has decided to open both institutional and individual labor approvals for 12 countries in West Asia, including the Gulf.

The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security issued a notice on Monday, stating that labor permits have been resumed in view of the improvement in the safety situation of workers working in the area and regional tensions.

The government had suspended work permits to these countries since March 1, 2026, citing increased security risks in West Asia due to US-Iran tensions. Earlier, the process was completely halted, although it was partially opened in some countries.

The Emergency Response Team under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had recommended the opening of work permits, based on the recent improvement in the regional situation and the situation between the conflicting parties. Based on that recommendation, this step was taken through a decision by the Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Security.

This decision has come as a great relief to thousands of Nepali workers who have been unable to fly despite completing their visa procedures for a long time. In particular, a large number of Nepalis who were preparing to go to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait for employment have now been cleared to travel to their destinations.

The Department of Labor has urged concerned manpower professionals and workers in the process of going for foreign employment to contact the department’s offices with the necessary documents. However, the ministry has also requested to remain aware of the security situation in the concerned sector and regularly check the latest updates from the ministry.

After a long period of uncertainty, the opening of labor permits has brought some relief to workers and manpower professionals waiting for foreign employment.

With this decision of the government, the work permit (new and re-work permit) process has now begun for the following 12 countries:

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Qatar

Kuwait

Bahrain

Oman

Iraq

Yemen

Jordan

Lebanon

Turkey

Israel