28 February 2014
The exit of illegal workers has seen plumbing and electrical repair services double, residents here say. Operators, they say, are taking advantage of the situation, even for minor and routine work. Ahmed Quraishi, a Riyadh resident, said he was shocked to see the cost of labor double. "We often need plumbers and electricians. But, the labor crisis has created chaos in the market and is becoming difficult to find cheap labor," he said.
Another resident, Hamid, said he has not been able to find cheap and skilled electricians after the labor crackdown, which is troubling both the Saudis and the expatriates. Several residents say they are now forced to hire expensive authorized service firms for their housing maintenance, mainly the electrical and plumbing works. The services offered by illegal workers were affordable. Routine repair work that cost SR50 before, done by roadside workers, now costs at least SR100. "There have been several changes in the Kingdom recently.
The prices of several commodities have increased, including labor charges," complained Sami Mohammed, a Jeddah resident. "I had to hire an electrician from a company to fix some wirings in my house, for which he charged SR200. Previously I only paid about SR100 maximum," he said. Mohammed Alharbi of Electronic Services Company said that all the service companies and shops have been hiring legal electricians and plumbers, who charge more for their services. He however said removal of the illegal workers would help the economy in the long term.
The exit of illegal workers has seen plumbing and electrical repair services double, residents here say. Operators, they say, are taking advantage of the situation, even for minor and routine work. Ahmed Quraishi, a Riyadh resident, said he was shocked to see the cost of labor double. "We often need plumbers and electricians. But, the labor crisis has created chaos in the market and is becoming difficult to find cheap labor," he said.
Another resident, Hamid, said he has not been able to find cheap and skilled electricians after the labor crackdown, which is troubling both the Saudis and the expatriates. Several residents say they are now forced to hire expensive authorized service firms for their housing maintenance, mainly the electrical and plumbing works. The services offered by illegal workers were affordable. Routine repair work that cost SR50 before, done by roadside workers, now costs at least SR100. "There have been several changes in the Kingdom recently.
The prices of several commodities have increased, including labor charges," complained Sami Mohammed, a Jeddah resident. "I had to hire an electrician from a company to fix some wirings in my house, for which he charged SR200. Previously I only paid about SR100 maximum," he said. Mohammed Alharbi of Electronic Services Company said that all the service companies and shops have been hiring legal electricians and plumbers, who charge more for their services. He however said removal of the illegal workers would help the economy in the long term.
Yasser Ghamdi, a Saudi economist, said: "Correcting the status of workers would help control the grey economy. It is important for the development of the Kingdom to have legal employers because it will help in drafting future business strategies."
© Arab News 2014
