DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

Saudi Arabia's skills certification program for Nepali workers suspended after protests

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Saudi Arabia's mandatory skills certification program for Nepali workers has been suspended due to protests by foreign employment recruiters.
  • Recruiters accused the program of creating a monopoly and imposing additional fees, leading to protests outside the training institute.
  • The suspension occurred despite a recent labor agreement between Nepal and Saudi Arabia, highlighting a lack of bilateral agreement on the certification program.

A mandatory skills certification program for Nepali workers, set to begin in Saudi Arabia, has been suspended following protests by foreign employment recruiters in Kathmandu. The Industrial Training Institute Nepal Pvt Ltd, designated to operate the Skills Verification Programme (SVP) center, posted a notice announcing the suspension. The Saudi Embassy in Kathmandu has not yet officially confirmed the decision.

Recruiters gathered outside the training institute, protesting the program's alleged creation of a monopoly and its attempt to collect extra fees under the guise of certification. Over 200 recruitment agency representatives participated in the protest, which prevented the planned inauguration and the attendance of diplomatic officials from the Saudi embassy. Protesters also removed a sign for the "Skills Certification Programme."

There is an attempt to create a syndicate through this process. We cannot accept it.

— Hari Bahadur PandeyChairperson of the Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs’ Unity Committee, commenting on the certification system.

The proposed system required Nepali workers to pay an additional Rs15,000 for certification, including $50 for a skills test and $50 for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment. Saudi authorities had stated that workers without this certification would not receive work visas. The program was intended for various categories, including laborers and construction workers, though specific construction roles were not clearly defined.

Recruiters argued that the scheme was implemented unilaterally, violating the labor agreement between Nepal and Saudi Arabia. Hari Bahadur Pandey, chairperson of the Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs’ Unity Committee, called the certification system a "money extraction" attempt and an effort to create a "syndicate." The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has not yet released an official statement, citing ongoing internal discussions. Representatives from the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies also voiced concerns to the ministry, stating the requirement would increase costs and complicate the recruitment process for Nepali workers.

The certification process would add financial and procedural burdens for Nepali workers seeking employment in Saudi Arabia.

— Dik Bahadur Khatri ‘Kumar’President of the Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, explaining the impact of the new rule.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog