KATHMANDU, Jan 19: In a move aimed at strengthening the safety and rights of thousands of Nepali workers abroad, the Government of Nepal has initiated the process of signing labor agreements with Israel and Oman.
The Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) has formally begun procedures to advance bilateral labor cooperation with the two countries.
The MoLESS said it has initiated official correspondence with Israel and Oman through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). A Cabinet meeting held on January 5 decided to sign a labor memorandum of understanding with Oman and renew the existing labor agreement with Israel. To implement the Cabinet decision, MoLESS has requested MoFA to proceed with the necessary diplomatic engagements.
Nepal set to finalize historic labor agreement with Oman
According to MoLESS Spokesperson Pitambar Ghimire, formal letters have already been sent to both countries via the MoFA. He said preparations are underway to finalize the agreements at the ministerial level once responses are received regarding the framework, level, and timeline of the signing.
“We have written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking clarity on the appropriate level, timing, and modality for signing the agreements,” Ghimire said.
The labor agreement with Oman is expected to be signed nearly five decades after Nepal and Oman established diplomatic relations in 1977. Oman has already approved signing a labor memorandum of understanding with Nepal, which has also received Cabinet endorsement.
A draft of the labor agreement between Nepal and Oman was prepared on May 5, 2019. A high-level technical meeting held in Kathmandu had reached a principled agreement on sending workers at zero cost. The proposed agreement includes provisions related to workers’ rights, the responsibilities of the Government of Nepal, and the obligations of the Omani government and employers.
According to the Nepali Embassy in Oman, around 25,000 Nepali workers are currently employed in the country. A significant number of Nepali women are working as domestic workers. Despite an official ban on foreign employment in domestic work, Nepali women continue to reach Oman, Kuwait, and other countries through illegal channels and visit visas.
The process had earlier stalled when Oman amended its labor law just as the agreement was nearing finalization. During the visit of Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi to Nepal on August 26, 2024, the agreement was expected to be signed. However, the Omani side reportedly withdrew, citing new positions introduced in the draft.
Meanwhile, Nepal has also initiated the renewal process of the labor agreement signed with Israel in 2020. Marking 60 years of Nepal–Israel diplomatic relations, the two countries had signed agreements in 2020 not only on labor cooperation but also on establishing an ‘Agricultural Center of Excellence’ to support the modernization of Nepal’s agricultural sector.
On September 30, 2020, Nepal and Israel signed an agreement to send Nepali caregivers to Israel through government channels. As the agreement did not include an automatic renewal provision, the ministry said it is now being pursued as a fresh agreement.
