Speaking to Muscat Daily Saeed bin Nasser al Saadi Advisor to H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Abdullah al Bakri Minister of Manpower said 'We are negotiating with the Nepalese Embassy in Muscat to get more domestic workers from there. Some countries like Indonesia have stopped sending domestic workers to the Gulf. We are open to get domestic workers from different countries but their shortage has forced us to negotiate with Nepal.'

Saadi said that Nepal is just a few hours flying distance from Oman and it will be much easier to get workers from there. 'Travelling time to Nepal is just a few hours from Muscat and Salalah. We have met the charge d'affaires of the Nepalese Embassy in Muscat to discuss the matter.'

A senior official in the Nepalese Embassy in Muscat said 'We have initiated discussions with the ministry on the matter. We have to clear a lot of things with the ministry before the Nepalese government gives the go ahead. It will take some time to get more workers from Nepal.' The official said that the Nepalese government has fixed the salary of unskilled workers at RO120. 'Employers who are willing to recruit Nepalese workers have to provide two-way tickets and get visas for them.'