Fresh government push by Saudi Arabia to kick out illegals

JEDDAH: Senior officials from the Labor and Interior ministries held a meeting in Riyadh on Tuesday to intensify the campaign against labor and residency law violators across the Kingdom. An official statement issued after the meeting warned Saudi sponsors and employers against allowing their employees to work for other firms, saying they would face stiff punishment for labor-related offenses. During the meeting, officials also pledged to inspect documents of foreign workers, not only at their work places, but also in streets and thoroughfares. Saudis have welcomed the campaign against illegal expats and expressed hope that the move would create more jobs and business opportunities for citizens. “Employers should inform authorities about absconding workers, as well as expats doing illegal jobs in order to avoid punishment,” it said, adding that employers of illegals would also face punitive action. Employers should also inform police about absconding workers, especially when the latter have outstanding dues, the statement said, adding that foreign employees have to pay such dues before being deported from the Kingdom. The meeting reviewed the joint operation of the two ministries to flush out illegal workers from the country and approved new techniques and mechanisms to make the campaign more effective and successful. Individual employers who allow their workers to work for others or for their personal accounts will be fined SR15,000 and deported (if expat), and banned from recruiting new labor for one year. Second-time violators will be subject to a SR30,000 fine, expat deportation, a three-month jail term and a ban on recruitment for two years, while third time violators and any time after that will face a SR100,000 fine, deportation, a six-month jail and a ban on recruitment for five years. Expats who fail to report delays in the departure of overstaying employees will be fined SR15,000 and face deportation (if expat) the first time, a SR25,000-fine, jail for three months and deportation the second time, and a SR50,000-fine, a six-month jail term and deportation the third time, the Interior Ministry said. Expats working independently will be fined SR10,000 and deported if the violation is committed for the first time, while second-time offenders will be fined SR25,000, jailed for one month and deported and third-time offenders will incur a SR50,000 fine, a six-month jail and deportation, the statement said. Companies and organizations that fail to inform authorities about Haj or Umrah overstayers will be fined SR25,000 the first time round, SR50,000 the second time and SR100,000 thereafter. Expats overstaying their visas after they have expired will be fined SR15,000 and deported the first time, while second-time offenders will be liable to pay SR25,000, spend three months in jail and face deportation. Third-time overstayers, meanwhile, will incur a SR50,000 fine, a six-month jail term and deportation. Arab News