ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID
Additionally, employers or those who shelter illegal workers will be liable to up to two years in prison, the interior and labour ministries said in a joint statement.
Last month, Saudi Arabia amended its labour laws, setting tough restrictions for overseas workers to qualify for employment. The new changes barred sponsors from letting their workers work for others. They also barred them from employing workers of other sponsors, which resulted in employees being bound to work with their sponsors only.
At the same time, the Saudi labor ministry launched a crackdown against the foreign owners of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
It urged those whose work and residency permits have expired to take advantage of the amnesty without penalty, including "special measures" that would allow a change of employer under certain conditions.
The amnesty does not cover those who entered the oil-rich Gulf state illegally.
Saudi Arabia hosts eight million foreign workers, mostly in very low-paid jobs, according to official figures, but economists say there are another two million unregistered non-Saudi workers in the kingdom.
New regulations introduced by the labour ministry aim to reduce the number of foreign workers to create jobs for millions of unemployed Saudis.
Yemenis and South Asians -- Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis -- who work in low-paid jobs across the kingdom will be worst affected.
Some 200,000 people were expelled from the kingdom in the first three months of the year, according to the immigration service.
According to the labour ministry, there were at least 250,000 SMEs that didn’t employ a single Saudi worker and most of those firms were run by foreigners.
Reports indicate that at least 2 million expatriates may lose their jobs or leave the kingdom shortly due to the new laws. A large number of expatriates, including Indians, Pakistanis, Yemenis and many others have been arrested for violating residential permit and labour regulations.
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Best explanation .... Saudi has the right to do that but at the same time peoples are suffering who are living with their families @Arif:
Warning to all subcontract july 3
@Rashid: concept of ummah is only in minds of some quixotic Pakistanis, no one cares about Pakistanis, but you guys think you are in charge of any muslim problem, you are enemy with Israel while Yasir Arafat called India his second home, what about Kashmir? Any Arab nation broke relations with India for you? Why you live like fools, talking of ummah? Please stop it.
We should not curse Saudies for this. Their recent steps are for the wellfare of their country and they have full right to protect jobs for the locals. We should not expect any Muslim country to give jobs to our less skilled workers just for the sake of religion. Agreed, the azad visa is a flaw in the Saudi system which has been exploited by no-skilled or less skilled expats in KSA. And when our fellow Paksiatnis get Azad visa against a payment, they know that their jobs will be illegal under Saudi laws. Probably these steps will eventually force Pakistani youth to further develop their skills to get jobs overseas. Saudi Arabia still offers enormous employment opportunities to skilled expats (including Pakistanies). The Saudi visa issuance for skilled workers (including Pakistanies) have increased tremendously over last few years.
Shame on Saudis.
@Rashid: "What has happened to the ‘Ummah’? Shame on Saudis" Rashid ! no one "PUT GRASS to UMMAH"
It is good to clear country of illegals. But azad visa people are not illegal.
Saudi gov has a policy that supports corruption. Why are Saudi kafeels issued visa if they cannot afford to pay their employees salaries and send them to work for other sponsors and make money of their iqama renewals and in other ways. Those kafeels shuld be fined and put in jail not the poor foreigners.