22 May 2013
The Passport Department has deported 201,000 illegal workers, including Syrians, in the past three months.
"We won't force them to travel only to their country," spokesman Badr Al-Malik, told a local paper.
"Saudi Arabia will not force violating workers to travel to a certain country," he said.
He said that the campaigns conducted against illegal workers seek primarily to impose order in the market.
"A worker has a choice to legalize their work status by working for the organization that brought them to the Kingdom or transferring their services to a new employer," he said. "After the July 3 deadline, workers will be deported with an exit-only visa," he said.
He also said that foreign investors and employers would not be exempt if they were found to employ violators. "Both parties will be penalized, with a fine of SR 10,000 for every illegal worker to be paid by the employer, and a potential jail-term of up to two years," he said.
The Passport Department put the names of people who will not be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia in a list. "We made sure that their records were free of any security or legal liabilities," he said.
The Passport Department has deported 201,000 illegal workers, including Syrians, in the past three months.
"We won't force them to travel only to their country," spokesman Badr Al-Malik, told a local paper.
"Saudi Arabia will not force violating workers to travel to a certain country," he said.
He said that the campaigns conducted against illegal workers seek primarily to impose order in the market.
"A worker has a choice to legalize their work status by working for the organization that brought them to the Kingdom or transferring their services to a new employer," he said. "After the July 3 deadline, workers will be deported with an exit-only visa," he said.
He also said that foreign investors and employers would not be exempt if they were found to employ violators. "Both parties will be penalized, with a fine of SR 10,000 for every illegal worker to be paid by the employer, and a potential jail-term of up to two years," he said.
The Passport Department put the names of people who will not be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia in a list. "We made sure that their records were free of any security or legal liabilities," he said.
© Arab News 2013
