In Nepal, the trend of youths going abroad without finding employment is on the rise. Some have gone to various countries and are earning well by working in different jobs. While some return with good income after working on ships, others end up in jails of different countries. The reason for imprisonment is often engaging in illegal activities driven by the desire to earn quick money within a short period. Currently, the data from the Nepali embassy in Saudi Arabia reveals that around 480 Nepalis are in jail there. This is the current state of affairs.
Among those imprisoned, 80 percent are involved in the production of alcohol and have been convicted of smuggling charges. However, the diplomatic mission’s reports indicate that the embassy has informed that those imprisoned for working in violation of Saudi rules are also increasing daily. The number of Nepalis leaving their jobs and returning to Nepal due to various service benefits, higher salaries, and lucrative offers has exceeded 12,000.
In Saudi embassies, most detainees have not been provided with the proper remuneration by their employers. Companies often fail to provide temporary residence documents (iqama) in a timely manner, do not allow employees to return home in emergencies, engage them in long working hours, assign them to risky areas, and force them into compromise-based employment arrangements. Detainees are subjected to fines according to Saudi laws if they leave the respective company without permission. If an exit is not initiated within two months of applying, Saudi rules increase the exit fee by 1,000 to 3,000 Saudi riyals.
Those involved in alcohol production and smuggling face imprisonment and even death penalty in Saudi Arabia. Last year, Saudi Arabia executed 30 individuals for drug-related offenses, and similar stringent laws are applied for cases related to alcohol as well.
Within a month, with the support of the Nepali embassies, 138 Nepali undocumented workers in Saudi Arabia have been issued repatriation visas. Those who have been stopped from leaving Saudi Arabia are now being allowed to return. According to the Embassy of Nepal in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Nepal in Jeddah, the number of daily applications for repatriation visas has been increasing. The embassies have also publicly released the list of names of Nepalis receiving repatriation visas on their Facebook pages. Those obtaining repatriation visas need to return to Nepal within 60 days of visa issuance.
According to the embassies, the procedure for Nepali workers arriving in Saudi Arabia includes understanding the company they will be working for, agreeing to terms and conditions with a thorough understanding of the contract, being skilled when negotiating, ensuring proper payment to manpower agencies, and acquiring knowledge about the laws and regulations of the host country before departure.
Discussion about this post