Action to be taken against labor law violators in Saudi Arabia

Action to be taken against labor law violators in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The General Directorate of Passports, known as Jawazat, clarified that an employer who allows his expatriate worker to work for others or as self-employed will face penalties including a fine, jail time, deportation, or a ban from recruitment. Jawazat wrote in a tweet: “Any employer who enables his workers to work for others or to be self-employed shall be subject to these penalties: A fine up to SR100,000 ($27,000), deportation if he is an expatriate in the Kingdom, imprisonment for a period up to six months, or a ban from recruitment for a period up to five years. Fines shall be multiplied according to the number of persons involved.” Jawazat called on the public to report those who violate residency and border security regulations by calling 911 in Riyadh and Makkah and 999 in all other regions of the Kingdom. Welcoming the move, Dr. Osama Ghanem Al-Obaidy, advisor and professor of law at the Institute of Public Administration in Riyadh, told Arab News: “The penalties for employers mentioned by Jawazat is a step in the right direction. It’s time to better regulate the labor market since a large percentage of crimes are committed by unlawful foreign workers. It is