Roshan Sedhai

Saudi Arabia has formally asked the Nepali mission in Riyadh to facilitate its citizens either to correct their legal status or move out of the country without facing punishment.

In a letter addressed to the embassy, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that the amnesty, which came into effect from May 10, will last till July 3. Under the amnesty plan, the workers including housemaids, can either correct their illegal status or leave the country without being penalised. However, there are conditions for those willing to change their legal status.

Meanwhile, the Nepali mission in Riyadh has started process to facilitate the return of illegal migrant workers. The embassy started receiving applications on Monday from workers who don’t have their passport.

“We urge everyone to utilise this opportunity. The workers can get travel documents from the embassy without charge. They are requested to fill up forms and provide photocopies of their passport or the citizenship certificate,” said Udaya Raj Pandey, Nepal’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia . According to Pandey, the new amnesty scheme will benefit around 130,000 Nepalis.

“An estimated 70,000 male and 50,000 female Nepali migrants are illegally working in Saudi Arabia ,” said Pandey. After Malaysia and Qatar, Saudi Arabia is the third biggest work destination for Nepali migrants with around 600,000 workers.

The first news of amnesty was announced by Saudi Labour Minister Adel Fakeih on February 25. But the Saudi government had not given any formal notice to the Nepali mission.

The new legalisation scheme allows runaway workers holding authentic passports to be legal even if they have been blacklisted by their employer. For this, they should change their sponsorship through the Labour Office. Domestic workers will be allowed to work legally by changing their sponsor.

Meanwhile, those working illegally after running away from their sponsor without passport will be given a travel document which can be shown at the Immigration to get an exist visa. Similarly, those who chose to flee from the airport before joining the sponsor could also leave without facing any penalty.

In case of a Muslim pilgrim who visited the country before July, 2003 and chose to work there illegally, they can be legal by changing the sponsorship from the Labour Office.

Illegal workers with passports may leave the country by acquiring exit visas from the Saudi Immigration. Necessary documents can be obtained free of cost even if one lacks the passport. The Nepali embassy has asked the illegal workers without passport to proceed to acquire the travel document.

The new measure is an extension of the “Saudisation” programme called Nitaqat (ranges or zones), introduced in June 2011 by the Saudi Labour Ministry aimed at creating job opportunities for its nationals, especially youths, by replacing a small percentage of the foreign workforce.

Published on: 15 May 2013 | The Kathmandu Post