Saudi Arabia Halts Visas for Nepali Workers in Five Job Categories After Nepal Seals Testing Centre

Xavi
4 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Kathmandu, July 30, 2026 — Saudi Arabia has halted work visas for Nepali workers in five categories needing skill verification certificates, following the closure of the Kathmandu institute conducting these tests.

The Saudi embassy suspended visa processing for workers needing Skill Verification Programme (SVP) certification after authorities sealed the Industrial Training Institute in Basundhara, citing lack of legal authorization for skill assessments.

Published: July 30, 2026 | By VisasUpdate.com Editorial Team

Saudi Arabia halts visas for Nepali workers in five job categories after Nepal seals skill testing centre – infographic showing affected jobs, costs, and diplomatic timeline as of July 30, 2026. — Saudi Arabia has suspended visa processing for Nepali workers in five job categories requiring Skill Verification Programme certification

The shutdown has created uncertainty for thousands of Nepali migrant workers seeking jobs in Saudi Arabia, one of Nepal's largest labour destinations.

Which Jobs Are Affected?

Saudi Arabia has required skill verification certificates for Nepali workers going for the following five job categories:

Job Category	Status
Loading and Unloading Goods	Visa processing suspended
Portering / Carrying Goods	Visa processing suspended
Cart Operation	Visa processing suspended
Construction Work	Visa processing suspended
Other SVP-required occupations	Visa processing suspended

Note: Visas are still being issued for workers in jobs that do not require SVP certification.

The Cost Burden on Workers

Workers are required to pay a $50 examination fee (approximately Rs7,500). However, there is no legal provision allowing workers or recruitment agencies to directly pay the fee.

Fee Component	Amount
Examination Fee	$50 (USD)
Service Charges (Sai Vision Pvt Ltd)	Rs10,000 (including service fees)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)	$50 (details unclear)

Instead, Sai Vision Pvt Ltd has been collecting Rs10,000, including service charges, for arranging the process. A $50 charge has been set for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), but the details of how the RPL system will work remain unclear.

"A private institution has created a monopoly in the name of skill testing, piling financial burden on workers. This is unacceptable."— Mahesh Kumar Basnet, Senior Vice-President, Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies

Government Response: Nepal's Position

Nepal's Labour Ministry

The Ministry of Youth, Labour and Employment said it was holding discussions with Saudi authorities to resolve the dispute.

Action	Status
Minister Talks	Labour Minister in talks with Saudi Ambassador
Diplomatic Note	Sent to Saudi Arabia through Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Bilateral Agreement	No agreement reached on SVP introduction

"The labour minister has engaged in discussions with the Saudi ambassador, and a diplomatic note has been dispatched."— Pitambar Ghimire, Spokesperson, Ministry of Youth, Labour and Employment

Nepal's Core Arguments

Nepal's labour officials say the programme itself has not been stopped — they argue that the institute conducting the assessments did not have the authority to do so.

Key demands from Nepal:

Bilateral Agreement Required — Skill testing should be conducted through a mutually agreed mechanism
Limited Application — Skill tests should be limited to occupations where workers' abilities can be properly assessed
No Cost to Workers — Workers must not be forced to bear the cost

"The process should be based on a bilateral agreement. Skill tests should be limited to occupations where workers' abilities can be properly assessed, rather than being imposed on ordinary labourers. The government must also ensure that workers are not forced to bear the cost."— Labour Ministry Official

January 2026 Labour Agreement

A labour agreement signed between Nepal and Saudi Arabia in January states that recruitment-related issues will be decided by a joint technical committee between the two countries. However, no bilateral agreement has been reached on introducing a skill certification programme.

Saudi Arabia's Position

Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development says the SVP was introduced to verify professional qualifications before issuing employment visas.

Saudi Position	Details
Purpose	Verify professional qualifications and improve occupational standards
Scope	Programme introduced across all labour source countries
Fee	Capped at USD 50 (around Rs7,000)
Testing Centres	Expanding to Kathmandu, Lumbini, Janakpur, Narayangarh, and Mahottari

Saudi Embassy in Kathmandu

The Saudi Embassy has issued a notice stating that workers are required to:

Register online through Saudi Arabia's "Professional Certification Portal"
Pay the fee in US dollars via Visa or Mastercard
Select occupation from available professions
Choose an approved test centre and available test date
Take the test — lasts three hours; results within 24 hours to one week

Testing Attempts

Workers are given up to three attempts to pass the assessment. Those who fail after three attempts become ineligible to travel to Saudi Arabia for employment.

Impact on Nepali Workers

Saudi Arabia — A Major Labour Destination

Metric	Value
Nepali Workers in 2025	~77,000
General Labour Visas	67%
Service Sector	8%
Drivers & Machine Operators	12%

Immediate Concerns

1,700 workers have medical test validity about to expire and have started being sent for SVP
Thousands more face uncertainty as visa processing remains suspended
Workers face additional financial burden of Rs10,000+ for testing

"The visa application system itself has a mandatory skill verification certificate option. Unless the certificate is submitted, the visa application cannot move forward. This has created digital control. There is no alternative route for obtaining a visa."— Dik Bahadur Khatri, President, Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies

Timeline of Events

Date	Event
January 2026	Nepal-Saudi Arabia labour agreement signed
June 17, 2026	SVP rollout planned — halted after manpower agencies vandalised training centre
June 27, 2026	Labour Minister Yadav requests Saudi Arabia to postpone SVP
July 23, 2026	Nepal sends diplomatic note protesting unilateral SVP implementation
July 23, 2026	Government seals Industrial Training Institute in Basundhara
July 30, 2026	Saudi Arabia halts visas for five job categories

Quick Reference

Aspect	Details
Affected Job Categories	Loading/unloading, portering, cart operation, construction (5 total)
Visa Status	Suspended for SVP-required jobs
Testing Fee	$50 (Rs7,500) + service charges
Total Cost to Worker	~Rs10,000
Testing Attempts	Maximum 3
Test Duration	3 hours
Results	24 hours to 1 week
Nepal's Position	Opposes unilateral implementation; seeks bilateral agreement
Saudi Position	Programme applies to all source countries