Kathmandu, Mar. 3: The government has suspended issuing labour permit for overseas employment for the time-being.

It is said the government took this decision as the coronavirus (Covid-19) which broke out from China has spread globally.

Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Rameshwor Raya Yadav said the issuing of labour permit has been suspended for the present until the fear of Covid-19 subsided. He added that Nepali workers are not to be supplied to countries which are at risk of Covid-19 infection in the context of the government's directives not to go abroad except for emergency works.

"The government has urged all not to travel abroad except for emergency and the Supreme Court has also ordered suspension of flights to the coronavirus affected countries. For this reason, we have for sure suspended issuing labour permit for some time," he said, adding that issuing labour permits would be resumed once the coronavirus terror subsided.

The government had announced that it was not issuing permits also to the students going for abroad study for the time-being, calling on all not to travel abroad for study, visit and entertainment purposes except for emergency. It had also appealed to those ging for foreign employment not to go save for very urgent purpose.