KSA Labor Ministry: Dependent expat teachers not allowed to work

JEDDAH: A senior official from the Labor Ministry in Jeddah has rejected media reports that a decision has been taken to allow teachers on dependent visas to work without transferring their sponsorship to their employers. Labor Office Director Sultan Al-Harbi told Arab News on Monday that the reports were not true. "No decision has been taken yet to allow women to work at private schools without transferring their sponsorship. Labor Ministry teams will continue to carry out inspections at private schools," he said. He said the ministry is currently studying a proposal on the matter. "It is just a proposal and no final decision has been taken," he said. The media reports had resulted in many teachers expressing happiness that they would be allowed to work while remaining under the sponsorship of their husbands, fathers or brothers. Arab News had received hundreds of calls and queries from teachers asking to verify the report. The reports had claimed the ministry would allow expatriate dependents to work because of the shortage of staff at schools and the expense of recruiting more foreign workers. Arab News