Nepali migrant workers heading to the UAE are facing an additional expense of more than Rs 14,000 for mandatory police report verification. Following Gen Z-led protests, the UAE made police clearance compulsory, charging AED 353.27 through VFS Global. Recruitment agencies have criticized the government for failing to intervene diplomatically, noting that workers already spend Rs 200,000 to Rs 400,000 on recruitment despite the official “free visa, free ticket” policy. The UAE remained Nepal’s top labor destination in 2024/25, issuing permits to over 274,000 workers.
