SAUDI ARABIA: Saudis begin enforcing visa rules after amnesty expires in effort to cut down on low paid foreign labour and to boost Saudi employment

Record ID: 189257

  • Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudis begin enforcing visa rules after amnesty expires in effort to cut down on low paid foreign labour and to boost Saudi employment
  • Date: 5th November 2013
  • Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (NOVEMBER 3, 2013) (REUTERS) JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE FOR THE SAUDI MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AND MINISTRY OF LABOUR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESMAN FOR THE SAUDI INTERIOR MINISTRY MAJOR GENERAL MANSOUR AL-TURKI, SAYING: "Starting Monday (November 4) we will launch the comprehensive field security campaign in all parts of the kingdom. This comes as part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at correcting the current situation of systematic violations of residence and employment, to eradicate this phenomenon." PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAUDI DEPUTY MINISTER OF LABOUR MIFRIJ AL-HAQBANI, SAYING: ''I hope that you are completely convinced that the seven month period was adequate and enough to raise awareness and provide guIdance for those who want to rectify their employment situation. I think that those who are now in breach (of their paperwork) are not in breach because of a lack of awareness but they seem to be keen to test our commitment.'' RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (NOVEMBER 4, 2013) (REUTERS) FOREIGN WORKERS WAVING PASSPORTS OUTSIDE DEPORTATION CENTRE INDIAN PASSPORT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN LABOURER IN CONSTRUCTION JAMAL EID, SAYING: "I have come to the deportation centre in order to obtain a number. I issued a travel document from my embassy because my sponsor is holding my passport and my Saudi residence card, so I made the travel document and I want to travel to my country, that is all I want." VARIOUS OF WOMEN STANDING AT THE WOMEN'S DETENTION CENTRE OF THE SAUDI PASSPORT OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNNAMED EGYPTIAN LABOURER, SAYING: "I want to go back to my country, but they are refusing, that is all." FOREIGN WORKERS WAITING AT DEPORTATION CENTRE VARIOUS OF LABOUR MINISTRY VARIOUS OF LABOURER RESIDENCY DOCUMENTS / CARD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LABOUR MINISTRY PRINTING SERVICES EMPLOYEE HAMMAD AL-ONAIZI, SAYING: ''Even though the deadline has expired, people are still coming to correct their paperwork, and some employers are still coming to correct the paperwork. But we say we need more time to do this (the corrections) at least three more months.'' VARIOUS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT EFFECTED BY CRACKDOWN (SOUNDBITE) PROJECT ENGINEER KHALID SALAMAH, SAYING: ''We need ways to make it easier, we need a period of time, I think that this time frame that passed wasn't enough. We need at least two years for people to get organised, and for this trade in visas to end.'' VARIOUS PEOPLE WALKING PAST SHOPS CLOSED BECAUSE OF CRACKDOWN VARIOUS OF FOREIGN WORKER MAKING SUGAR CANE JUICE WORKERS DRINKING SUGAR CANE JUICE
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Saudi Arabia
  • Country: Saudi Arabia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVACEMOVOKEH0TK8VQ3JKDNKQQFI
  • Story Text: The government crackdown on illegal foreign workers in Saudi Arabia began on Monday (November 4) as announced by the interior ministry in Riyadh the previous day.

    "Starting Monday (November 4) we will launch the comprehensive field security campaign in all parts of the kingdom. This comes as part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at correcting the current situation of systematic violations of residence and employment, to eradicate this phenomenon," said Interior Ministry spokesman Major-General Mansour Turki on Sunday (November 3).
    Deputy labour minister Mifrij al-Haqbani said expatriates had been given 7 months to get their papers in order.
    The government of the world's top oil exporter has promised raids on businesses, markets and residential areas to catch expatriates whose visas are invalid because they are not working for the company that 'sponsored' their entry into the kingdom.
    ''I hope that you are completely convinced that the seven month period was adequate and enough to raise awareness and provide guIdance for those who want to rectify their employment situation. I think that those who are now in breach (of their paperwork) are not in breach because of a lack of awareness but they seem to be keen to test our commitment," al Haqbani said.
    A crowd of passport-waving foreign workers gathered at a deportation centre in the capital on Monday volunteering to return to their countries.

    "I issued a travel document from my embassy because my sponsor is holding my passport and my Saudi residence card, so I made the travel document and I want to travel to my country, that is all I want," said Egyptian labourer Jamal Eid.
    Witnesses reported areas where many foreigners live and work to be deserted on Monday and in some places people were seen scurrying at the sound of police sirens.
    Project engineer Khalid Salamah complained that workers had not been given enough time to normalise their situation which he said could take years not months.

    "I think that the period that just ended was not enough. I think we need a minimum of two years so that everyone can correct their situation, as well as ending the black market visa trade," said Khalid Salamah.
    The enforcement of visa rules is another effort to end a black market for cheap imported workers, cut the foreign labour force and free up private-sector jobs for Saudi nationals.
    The official Saudi unemployment rate of 12 percent excludes a large number of citizens who say they are not seeking a job.
    Raising private sector employment in a country where most Saudis are in government jobs, and where businesses employ more foreigners than locals, is a major challenge for the kingdom.
    About nine million foreigners, mostly unskilled labourers or domestic workers, live alongside 18 million Saudis. The money they send home is vital for their own nations, such as Yemen, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Egypt.
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