Amnesty covers illegal Hajis, runaway workers

Saudi Gazette | March 29,2017 RIYADH — The Directorate General of Passports (Jawazat) announced on Tuesday that expatriates who performed Haj without a permit and runaway (huroob) workers will be included among violators of the labor and residency rules and they can take advantage of the 90-day amnesty period, which begins on Wednesday. Violators who work at companies and establishments that are under Nitaqat red category should contact the ministry of labor offices to get a temporary work permit to facilitate departure procedures. “Such violators should approach the nearest Jawazat office with their passport, residency permit (iqama) and temporary work permit to get final exit visas,” the directorate said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. According to the directorate, those who overstayed their Umrah, visit and transit visas can also take advantage of the amnesty period during the campaign called “A nation without violators.” Violators include holders of an expired iqama, those who came on labor visas but fail to get iqamas within 90 days, infiltrators to the Kingdom, those who committed violation by performing Haj without a permit, and those who are reported runaway (huroob) by employers before the date of announcement of the amnesty period. Those who have a violation registered in the Jawazat computer system as well as runaway workers (huroob) have to approach the Expatriates’ Department under the Jawazat to complete their travel procedures. The directorate said that those who have valid iqamas and not reported huroob but don’t have any information about their employer can also take advantage of the amnesty by approaching the Labor Dispute Committee at the labor office to secure a letter addressing the Jawazat confirming their status. Those who take advantage of the amnesty period will be exempted from fingerprinting as a deportee, as well as from fees and fines of violators of labor and residency regulations and border security rules. The validity of the final exit visa issued during the amnesty period will end with the expiry of the amnesty deadline.