Saudi campaign to drive out illegals to continue

Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia will not allow any foreigners to stay illegally in the Kingdom.

“There is no justification for any foreigner to stay in the Kingdom in violation of the labor and residency rules. It is mandatory for all foreigners who want to live in this country to respect its rules and regulations,” he said.

Fakeih was speaking to reporters after opening the ministry’s branch office building in Tabuk, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The minister said the campaign to correct the status of illegal residents would continue vigorously so as to ensure that no illegal foreigner stays in the kingdom. More than four million foreigners have rectified their labor and residency status by taking advantage of the amnesty announced by King Abdullah. Around one million unregulated foreigners left the Kingdom during the grace period, which ended on Nov. 3 last year.

The seven-month grace period has benefited nearly half of the foreigners living in the kingdom.

Regarding the issues concerning domestic workers, Fakeih said, a package of measures will be announced soon.

More than 200 Saudi men and women employers attended a consultative meeting convened by the minister last week in his bid to solve numerous problems facing this sector.

This story was originally posted on the Saudi Gazette on Dec. 17, 2014.