The Nepal Weekly 
June 26, 2025As the Israel-Iran conflict intensifies, Nepal government has prepared a comprehensive plan to evacuate those Nepalese nationals who are affected the ongoing conflict in Middle-East.
The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security on Tuesday finalised a comprehensive plan to ensure the safety—and if necessary, the evacuation—of Nepali workers in the Middle East, said officials.
The evacuation plan was finalized during an emergency meeting chaired by Krishna Hari Pushkar, secretary at the Minister of Labour and Employment, which was participated in by officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, home, tourism, law, and parliamentary committees. The meeting was convened to assess risks and outline response strategies in the wake of Israel-Iran war.
The government resolved to deploy all available state mechanisms and resources to safeguard the estimated 5,500 Nepali labourers in Israel and around a dozen in Iran.
“The government is fully prepared to ensure the safety of Nepali migrant workers,” said secretary Pushkar. “We will mobilise all necessary support, regardless of how the situation develops.”
Among the key decisions was a directive to initiate diplomatic communication with third countries, such as Egypt, which borders Israel, and countries accessible by land from Iran, to facilitate visa arrangements should Nepalis seek to transit through these territories to return home, according to officials.
Labour secretary Pushkar also informed that Nepal would formally request India and China to include Nepali nationals in any evacuation efforts they undertake for their own citizens in the region.
The government will also issue a travel advisory discouraging non-essential travel to the Middle East and request recruitment agencies to withhold deployment of newly approved workers to high-risk zones, said officials. In cases where airline tickets have already been issued, the Ministry of Tourism will request airlines to waive rescheduling fees.
To provide mental health support, the Foreign Employment Board and the Social Security Fund have been instructed to begin offering counselling services to affected workers from Tuesday onwards.
These developments come amid growing concern about the vulnerability of Nepali migrant workers stranded in the wake of th Israel-Iran crossfire. Most Nepalis in Israel are employed in the caregiving and agricultural sectors, often living in accommodations equipped with bunkers. Those without such facilities rely on public shelters during missile alerts.
Nepalese ambassador to Israel, Dhan Prasad Pandit, said the other day that although the situation is tense, most Nepali workers have adapted to emergency protocols and are taking the necessary precautions.
