New concessions for expat dependents RIYADH: MD RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS STAFF Wednesday 3 July 2013 Last Update 3 July 2013 1:58 am Saudis who hire dependents of expatriates under their sponsorship will have to transfer these workers back to their original sponsors if they terminate their contracts, it was announced here yesterday by the Ministry of Labor. This concession will come as a relief for all men and women dependents who are fearful of taking up jobs and transferring their sponsorship to their employers. In the past, if they had lost their jobs, they would have been sent on final exit visas out of the country and then have to reapply to enter the Kingdom. The announcement was made yesterday by Deputy Minister of Labor Mufarrej bin Saad Al-Haqbani at a press conference at his office, following the extension of the amnesty period to Nov. 3. The extension includes a concession allowing all dependents of expatriates to work in the country. Al-Haqbani said the ministry would allow men and women dependents to work based on three criteria: that they should be over 18 years of age, stayed as dependents in the Kingdom for a minimum of one year and transfer their sponsorship to the firm where they want to work. Employing firms must get the approval of the dependent’s sponsor and the firm should be eligible for recruitment in accordance with the Nitaqat Program. Regarding the transfer of the sponsorship of teachers and doctors, he said that the employees should have the relevant academic and professional certificates. These should be authenticated by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education for teachers and by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties for medics and paramedics. He called on companies, businessmen and individuals to use the extended amnesty granted by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday. Al-Haqbani said that the grace period was extended in response to several requests from friendly countries, foreign missions in the Kingdom and local establishments, who complained that the irregular workers could not complete their formalities. He said working hours would be extended during Ramadan. In addition to working hours during the day, offices will be open from 10 p.m. to 12.30 a.m. He also renewed the ministry’s call for enterprises, individuals and expatriates to use the e-services provided on mol.gov.sa. For more information, people can use a toll free number 920 001 173 to the ministry’s customer services center. The deputy minister said the terms and conditions of the extended amnesty remains the same as the initial amnesty period. He said this amnesty would also not cover infiltrators who had entered the Kingdom illegally. “The new extension period will include all exemptions and facilities announced earlier with minor additions that will contribute to an improved work environment,” he said. All companies and firms with files at the labor offices can benefit from exemptions and facilities during the new correction period regardless of when those files were opened, he said. Regarding the small Green firms with less than nine workers and employing at least one Saudi at a minimum salary of SR 3,000, these small firms are now allowed to transfer a maximum of four foreign workers which would allow the company to be upgraded to an enterprise categorized within the Nitaqat Program. The earlier system stipulated that the number of workers should not exceed nine if their services are transferred to such a firm. The Nitaqat system was instrumental in raising the number of Green category companies from 30 to 60 percent. More than 500,000 Saudis have received jobs following the introduction of the system.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 09:57:58 +0000