ABU DHABI // Demand for Nepalese housemaids has increased greatly since the country lifted a ban on its nationals being employed as domestic workers in Arabian Gulf countries.
The Nepalese Embassy in Abu Dhabi says it has received an average of between four and six visa applications a day for housemaids since the ban was lifted in June last year.
The country lifted the ban after introducing tougher rules aimed at making maids less vulnerable to unscrupulous recruitment agents.
Dipak Adhikari, deputy chief of the mission, said that before the introduction of the ban in 2000, many UAE residents recruited Nepalese domestic workers through agents who used illegal channels to bring them out, and many fell into "the wrong hands".
Allegations by maids of physical and verbal abuse, harassment, and being overworked and underpaid prompted the ban.
Mr Adhikari said there were far fewer complaints since the tougher rules were introduced, and the situation in the UAE was "very satisfactory".
Anyone wishing to employ a maid from Nepal must now apply through the embassy, and submit documents including marriage certificates and family status, a deposit of Dh5,000, and ensure fixed wages of Dh900 a month, as well as food and accommodation.
Dhananjay Jha, the Nepalese ambassador to the UAE, said many employers treated their maids well and sometimes the maids were at fault.
"In such cases we call up the employers and find out answers from him about the maid's claims," Mr Jha said. "Most of the time we try to settle the matter amicably.
"We are at the mission to assist both sides for a pleasant life here in the Emirates."
He urged prospective maids to find work through their relatives and friends who were settled in the UAE, and then to process their papers through the embassy to avoid falling prey to unauthorised agents.
The embassy estimates there are about 160,000 Nepalese workers in the UAE, with about 60 per cent in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. In 2008 there were only 125,000.
The embassy believes demand is growing because of their "trustworthiness, loyalty and hard work".
Mr Adhikari said the embassy issued about 2,000 approvals a month to various companies and individuals to send Nepalese workers to the UAE, while many companies approached Nepal's department of foreign employment directly.
He said it was not unusual for some companies seeking labourers to request up to 400 workers at a time.
A Nepalese delegation recently met with peers at the Ministry of Labour to discuss how to strengthen the rights of Nepalese labourers in the Emirates.
The embassy is also working with about 50 Nepalis who are in jails across the Emirates. Most of these, Mr Adhikari said, had not been jailed for "serious crimes". "Normally they are in for small cases of consuming liquor and bouncing cheques.
"We frequently visit them and if we find they committed the crime, then the course of law has to be pursued and they need to complete jail terms.
"If they are behind bars due to a lack of documents and the mission finds that their cases are genuine, then we help them."
anwar@thenational.ae
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
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Company%20Profile
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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'Will%20of%20the%20People'
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The five pillars of Islam
Inside%20Out%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKelsey%20Mann%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Amy%20Poehler%2C%20Maya%20Hawke%2C%20Ayo%20Edebiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
First-round leaderbaord
-5 C Conners (Can)
-3 B Koepka (US), K Bradley (US), V Hovland (Nor), A Wise (US), S Horsfield (Eng), C Davis (Aus);
-2 C Morikawa (US), M Laird (Sco), C Tringale (US)
Selected others: -1 P Casey (Eng), R Fowler (US), T Hatton (Eng)
Level B DeChambeau (US), J Rose (Eng)
1 L Westwood (Eng), J Spieth (US)
3 R McIlroy (NI)
4 D Johnson (US)
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries