Ban on hiring Nepali maids to stay

Contrary to recent reports in Kuwaiti media that ban on Nepali maids may be lifted in that country and across the Gulf region, an official at the Embassy of Nepal, UAE, has categorically denied the speculation and told this website that there are no plans of doing away with the ban.

"Currently, there is a ban on hiring Nepali maids throughout the Gulf and this is here to stay. We are not aware of any move about lifting the ban. This decision comes straight from the government and we've not been intimated of any such move," an official at the Embassy of Nepal, UAE told Emirates 24|7.

According to the official, this is uniform throughout the Gulf. Recently, media in Kuwait reported that the consulate there was preparing guidelines to lift the ban.

Nepal banned domestic helps in Gulf countries in 2000 but maids continue to enter the countries in the region through illegal channels. To circumvent the ban, Nepalese women use neighbouring India to reach the UAE.

Recently, this website reported that hundreds of Nepalese maids find their way to the UAE every year as they are cheaper in comparison to the salaries being charged by maids from other countries.

The cost to get a Nepali maid is also low as there are no deposits and embassy restrictions.

Unlike the regulation for housemaids, there is no restriction on recruitment of women in other categories from Nepal but even in this category, the Department of Labour and Employment Promotion will clear the individual cases only on the recommendation and guarantee of the Royal Nepalese Embassy.

If recruited illegally, the women workers can be denied consular services including the renewal of their passport.

The recruiting agency/company may also be barred from bringing in any other category of workers, if found involved in illegal recruitment, the website of the Nepalese embassy states.
 

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