The government is set to send four additional staffers to its mission in Saudi Arabia to deal with the workload created by the recently granted amnesty to the illegal migrant workers.

The decision to depute more staffers came after the understaffed Nepali mission in Riyadh admitted its failure to provide prompt services to workers seeking amnesty. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has deputed only seven staffers to its mission in Saudi Arabia which is assisted by a few local staffers and labour attachés. However, the new staffers in question will remain in Saudi Arabia only till the end of the amnesty process.

According to officials, the MoFA and the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment will depute two staffers each.

“The ministry has already approved the decision. They will leave for Saudi Arabia very soon,” said Arjun Bahadur Thapa, MoFA spokesperson.

Thapa said the new staffers are being sent to handle the crisis situation and will be recalled on completion of the process. The amnesty plan remains valid till July 3. As per the amnesty announced by Saudi King Abdullah, illegal workers can rectify their legal status or leave the country without facing punishment. The Nepali embassy has given exit permits to over 35,000 illegal workers.

According to the latest claim of the embassy, around 70,000 male and 50,000 female Nepali workers are working illegally in the country.

The embassy has demanded permanent deputation of two MoFA officials in order to be able to carry out the work in normal circumstances.

Published on: 17 June 2013 | The Kathmandu Post