Nepal’s Kuwait domestic worker ban fails to stop migration, leaves thousands outside protection

Nepal's ban on sending domestic workers to Kuwait, implemented in 2017, has proven ineffective, with approximately 69,000 Nepalis still employed in such roles in Kuwait. This stark reality, revealed by figures from Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, underscores a significant gap between government policy and the economic pressures compelling Nepali citizens, particularly women, to seek overseas employment.

The ban originated from a directive by parliament's International Relations and Labour Committee, which called for a halt to domestic worker migration to Gulf countries until protective laws and bilateral agreements were in place. While legal departures ceased, the demand for labor and the need for income have driven thousands to bypass official channels. Kuwait hosts a total of 186,000 Nepali nationals, with 68,900 working as domestic staff.

Financial hardship is a primary driver for migration. Sunita Limbu, a domestic worker in Kuwait, explained that she had to resort to unauthorized routes to support her son's education and her husband's medical treatment, earning approximately Rs50,000 per month. She noted that legal migration channels would at least allow for family visits during scheduled leave.

Recruitment networks operating in both Nepal and Kuwait have capitalized on the absence of legal pathways. Licensed agencies in Kuwait can charge employers up to 1,500 Kuwaiti dinars (around Rs750,000) to hire domestic workers, creating a strong incentive for informal recruitment in Nepal. Labor migration expert Saru Joshi Shrestha points out that such restrictions often push workers towards exploitative informal channels, negating the intended protective purpose of the ban.

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I have a five-year-old son and a chronically ill husband. I need to pay for my son’s education and husband’s treatment. I earn Rs50,000 a month here, but I had to come through unauthorised routes. Had we been allowed to migrate legally, we could at least visit our families during scheduled leave.