A total of 469 Nepalese workers employed at Saudi Aramco projects have not received their salary worth around NPR 14.61 crore (approximately 40.04 million Saudi Riyals). These workers were hired through Sendan International Company, which acted as their visa sponsor.
Their residential visas have expired, and many have stopped receiving payments since August last year. The Nepalese Embassy in Riyadh has officially requested Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to release the unpaid wages through the “Migrant Workers Salary Insurance Service.”
According to Saudi labor regulations, workers who do not receive salary for six consecutive months or whose employer goes bankrupt are entitled to claim unpaid wages through this insurance, including compensation for return tickets. The embassy is hopeful that the workers will get their dues soon.
Some workers have been waiting for up to 10 months without pay. Balram Rai from Sankhuwasabha said salaries vary depending on the work site, and many have stopped receiving payments for over eight months. He mentioned, “We worked hard in the intense heat for 12 hours a day, but we have not received what we deserve.”
Many workers have been living in company-provided camps since March, after stopping work due to non-payment and visa expiry. Some 302 workers wish to return to Nepal, while others are preparing to transfer to different companies within Saudi Arabia. The embassy is working with Saudi authorities to issue exit permits and assist with job transfers.
The workers expressed frustration over their situation, sharing that the company only provides basic food like rice and lentils while they wait for their unpaid salaries and permission to return home.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Nepalese migrant workers in the Gulf region and the efforts by the Nepalese government to protect their rights.
