The government has fixed the minimum monthly wage for Nepali workers heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 1,000 dirhams.

The decision, taken on Thursday by Labour, Employment and Social Security Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari, aims to protect workers from exploitation and ensure fair pay abroad, officials said.

According to Minister Bhandari, this new wage threshold will now serve as a basic criterion for verifying demand letters from UAE-based employers.

“The UAE remains a preferred destination for Nepali workers, but many were previously working for as little as 800 dirhams a month,” Bhandari told the Post. “We have revised the wage structure based on the recommendation of the Nepali embassy in the UAE.”

The revised minimum wages are categorised based on their skill. For instance, unskilled workers get 1,000 dirhams (which equals Rs37,348 as of June 5), semi-skilled workers 1,200 dirhams, and skilled workers get 1,500 dirhams.

Bhandari emphasised that the move would significantly benefit low-wage earners. “This will provide financial relief for thousands of Nepalis. The decision will now be forwarded to the embassy, and any demand letter offering less than the set wage will not be certified,” he said.

As the UAE has not set its own official minimum wage, Nepal has taken the initiative to protect its citizens by evaluating market conditions on its own. Employers failing to meet the new wage criteria will no longer be allowed to recruit Nepali workers.

Currently, around 700,000 Nepalis are employed in the UAE across various sectors. The new wage structure is expected to bring long-overdue financial security to many of them.