New concessions for expats Ministry of Labor announces rules on employment of dependents Last updated: Wednesday, July 03, 2013 11:52 AM Deputy Minister of Labor Dr. Mufraj Al-Haqbani (center) addresses a press conference in Riyadh on Tuesday. — SPA Mohammed Alshoaiby Saudi Gazette RIYADH – Following the extension by four more months an amnesty enabling illegal expat workers to regularize their status or return home without prosecution, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced new concessions for expats and their dependents. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered "extending the time limit" of the amnesty which was due to expire on Wednesday until Nov. 3, the Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Tuesday. Undocumented expat workers will now have until the end of the current Hijri year 1434 to correct their status, SPA said. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday Deputy Minister of Labor Dr. Mufraj Al-Haqbani said the amnesty period allows dependents of expatriates to work as long as they have a written request from the business that wishes to employ them, are at least 18 years of age and have been listed as dependents to legally resident expatriates for at least one year. The firm hiring the dependent must also have the consent of the sponsor of the dependent. Businesses which wish to employ dependents of expatriates need to submit written requests to the Ministry of Labor, but they must have the authorization in the Nitaqat program to import foreign labor. In case the work contract period of the dependent ends or the employer terminates the contract, the employer will have no right to send the dependent of an expat home on final exit. In such cases, the dependent can transfer services to a new employer without the consent of the existing employer or can return to the original sponsor. The dependent who returns to the original sponsor can take up another job only after the completion of one year. If the sponsor’s period of contract ends before the contract of his dependent, the sponsor can remain with the dependent until the end of the dependent’s work contract. To employ dependents in the education sector, the institution should get the approval from the Ministry of Education or Ministry of Higher Education with regard to the number of staff and the type of profession, in addition to a license from the ministry concerning the qualification of the dependent. In the health sector, an approval from the Ministry of Health with regard to the number and type of jobs is required besides a license from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties pertaining to the qualification of the dependent. For jobs of engineers, the firm shall have a certificate from the Saudi Council of Engineers with regard to the dependent’s qualification. According to the new concessions, even those firms that have opened a file at the Labor Office after the announcement of the grace period early in April can take advantage of the exemptions and facilities. Al-Haqbani also announced that small enterprises with nine or less employees can now employ up to four more expatriates, allowing them to be added to the Nitaqat program. Earlier, it was mandatory for these small enterprises to have at least one Saudi on every nine expat worker. He said that the amnesty extension will also allow businesses to transfer expatriate workers as long as it happens only once per employee and that the total transferred expatriate workforce for the initial entity does not go beyond 20 percent. He added that transfers will not be allowed to take place if it would bring the entity down from its green status in accordance with the Nitaqat law. The purpose of the Royal Decree to extend the amnesty period is to give the private sector an opportunity to rectify their employees’ status, and also to give embassies and ministries ample time to meet the rush of those wanting to benefit from the grace period, said Al-Haqbani. He said the campaign to rectify the status of undocumented workers has given employees a chance to build better careers for themselves in accordance with the law. With Ramadan right around the corner, concerns have been raised that the Holy Month might slow down government work. However, an employee of the Ministry of Labor said that business will continue as usual, with minor adjustments to office hours. He went on to encourage expat workers to use the ministry’s web platform. So far, the Ministry of Labor has helped 3,482,000 expat workers correct their status, with 92.3 percent having done so through the ministry’s online service, said Al-Hagbani. -- Remember me in your prayers please.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 07:39:29 +0000
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