JEDDAH: An employer will be able to obtain a new work visa for every two expatriate workers he has sent on exit-only visas, according to the point system introduced by the Labor Ministry recently, an informed ministry source said.
The source also pointed out that an employee working for a small firm that does not come under the Nitaqat system should get his employer's consent for the transfer of his sponsorship.
“The recruitment process in the private sector is now fully undertaken by the Human Resource Development Fund and no longer depends on nomination letters,” Okaz Arabic daily reported quoting the source as saying. The ministry considers wage as a debt, and its payment to any worker should not be delayed. Violators of this rule would be punished, the source said, adding that raising salaries of Saudi workers is one of its priorities.
The official criticized the refusal of medical reports presented to workers by some companies, saying they are not permitted to do so.
“The ministry is working as a team in collaboration with the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation and Human Resources Development Fund to create more job opportunities for Saudis,” the source said.
More than 250,000 men and women have got employment within a single year following the implementation of the Nitaqat system.
The ministry said it was not its duty to force investors to open women-only stores in markets. “Our mission is to organize women’s employment,” he added.
The ministry rejected the demand of some major companies to exclude them from the Nitaqat system. “The Labor Ministry has stressed that all companies without exception should follow the system,” the source said.
He said the ministry would soon implement a new version of Nitaqat aimed at helping Saudi and foreign workers to receive their salaries without delay as well as enlightening workers on salary levels they are entitled to.
Ministry offers 1 visa for every 2 exit-only visas
