Businessmen and building contractors told Arab News that corrective procedures for foreigners working illegally in the Kingdom are helpful but have come too late.
They stressed the fact that corrective action is required but that it should not affect work in their companies because they have depended on illegal workers for a long time, adding that rectification will need years and not months to implement, which is counterproductive because it affects 40 percent to 50 percent of the total percentage of employment in Saudi Arabia.
Most of these irregularities are related to the legal residence of foreign workers, the nature of work and other similar issues.
It is also believed that correction needs a comprehensive plan to be applied in five years, focusing on the nontechnical workers first, which gives companies and institutions the opportunity to rectify positions without losses.
Economist Ahmed Al-Jubair said that the decision made by the Ministry of Labor recently for the correction of all expatriates violating residency and labor laws is commendable. He also said that the Labor Ministry also has to look after the huge number of illegal foreign workers, which most companies are dependent on.
He added that the sale and trading of visas is not new and clearly indicates poor control in bringing foreign workers to the Kingdom.
Some sponsors get SR 500 to SR 1,500 monthly from workers in other companies. The decision that workers should only work with their sponsors will control the labor market.
Problems have cropped up in the labor market as a result of reliance on unqualified labor, Al-Jubair said.
The decision will help in buying and selling in malls, airlines and real estate, and reduce the size of labor force in the Saudi market and increase demand at the same time, economist Suliman Al-Bluwi said.
It will also create job opportunities for Saudis, he felt.
“We should not look at the negative side of money transfer and focus on the fact that controlling and organizing the labor market will yield positive results,” he said.
Al-Jubair said the latest decision has come as a surprise to many, but that it is a correction of a situation that has existed for many years.
Some major companies have made their plans for different projects, which depend on their foreign employees, Al-Bluwi said.
He lamented the recent decision of the ministry regarding the levy of SR 2,400 annually for each foreign worker.
He pointed out that correction of the situation increases the value of contracts by more than 15 percent.
The positive impact of correction is important, especially to Saudis, Al-Bluwi added.
Many companies find govt decision helpful but late
