Nepal embassy officials in Qatar are asking to increase the minimum monthly salary of Nepali workers from US$219 to US$329. There are nearly 500,000 Nepali workers in Qatar and the Nepalese government is now considering negotiating with Gulf state to raise salaries, including the food budget, which is considered not sufficient. In recent years Nepal has reached an agreement with other Gulf countries, such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia to boost pay, but embassy representatives in Qatar believe that the situation in the oil and gas-rich country is more critical. Nepali construction workers have the highest suicide rate in Qatar. Nepal is not the first country to try and negotiate minimum salaries for its citizens working in Qatar. Last year, the Philippines requested a US$400 minimum wage for its domestic workers. Qatar initially responded with a temporary ban on visas for Filipino women. Business.com

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