Pact with India to streamline hiring

The proposed labor cooperation agreement that is set to be signed in the coming weeks during the impending visit of Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih's visit to India aims to help streamline the recruitment process and protect Indian workers from middlemen, according to Sibi George, the Indian charge d’affaires.
Saudi Arabia is a growing labor market given the major infrastructure and development program currently being undertaken across the country. Major infrastructure projects such as the Riyadh Metro will require the services of a large number of high-end and skilled workers from India and the Subcontinent.
The emphasis being placed by Saudi Arabia on education, health, housing, infrastructure and transportation sector projects is set to create many job opportunities for skilled labor from countries such as India.
Saudi authorities have made it clear that they would need expatriate workers to be partners in their economy but that they need to be present in the country legally.
“If we can provide value to the Saudi economy, we will be welcomed in this country. A streamlined and legalized Saudi labor market would be in the interest of both our skilled and unskilled workers, as it would curtail the role of unscrupulous middlemen and agents both in India and Saudi Arabia,” George said.
Addressing a meeting of Dammam Volunteers Core Group that was organized at the International Indian School on Friday to discuss post grace period developments, the diplomat said that the Indian community has benefited the most from the concessions announced during the grace period and the Nitaqat (nationalization) program.
According to official data, there are currently more than 2.8 million Indians in the Kingdom.
The data received by the Indian Embassy from Saudi authorities shows that more than 1.4 million Indians availed themselves of the concessions offered during the grace period by the end of October.
This includes 434,667 Indians who transferred their services to other firms, 481,233 Indians who changed their professions on their IDs and over 470,000 Indians who renewed their licenses and job permits. Around 134,281 Indians left on final exit during the grace period. This includes those who made use of the concessions, as well as others who left the country upon completing their contractual period.
“Despite the return of these Indians, the total number of Indians in Saudi Arabia has increased and continues to grow, which shows that the suggestion of a mass exodus of Indians from Saudi Arabia was incorrect,” George said.
He added that the time has come to discuss an action plan for the upcoming weeks and months.
“Despite our best efforts, there are still many Indians who could not benefit from the concessions offered during the grace period due to legal cases against them. It is only natural that with a population of 2.8 million, there will be some people who face problems. The embassy will continue in its efforts to help them,” he stressed.
He said it is important to generate awareness among people in India about Saudi rules and regulations on recruitment and employment so as to ensure that newcomers do not violate local laws and do not end up as illegal residents on arrival.