The Embassy of Nepal in Saudi Arabia said on Monday that it has been informed by Saudi’s ministry of labour about its plans to facilitate stranded workers to return home, if they wish so, after providing their due salaries.

More than 60 Nepalis are stranded in the Gulf nation after massive layoffs with slowed growth as the kingdom suffers the effect of lower oil prices.

The embassy has also asked the workers to contact its officials, through phone or email, if they have any wage-related grievances. Workers have been urged to contact Acting Ambassador Anand Prasad Gautam (0535821528, [email protected]), Counsellor Ambika Prasad Adhikari (0599393459, [email protected]), Acting Consul General Rewati Raman Paudel (0594989587, [email protected]) and Labour attaché Bhoj Raj Ghimire (0504508181, [email protected])

Meanwhile, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has issued a directive, asking the concerned authorities to facilitate in providing pending salaries to foreign workers stranded in the kingdom after losing their jobs in the recent lay-off.

According to Arab News, the king has directed authorities to ensure that the workers are paid their salaries. “The king directed the minister of labour and social development to take necessary measures, in coordination with the ministry of finance, to oblige contracting companies to pay the salaries of their employees in accordance with the government’s Wage Protection Programme that ensures workers’ salaries are fully paid,” said the newspaper.