Saudi Arabia has deported over 1,000 Nepali migrant workers, who were working illegally in the Islamic kingdom. A report of the Nepali embassy in Riyadh shows it issued travel documents to a total of 1,087 Nepalis in the past one month to facilitate their return.

There has been a sharp rise in the number of arrests and trend of self-admission to detention centres among workers in the wake of the Saudi government’s recent decision to crack down on the local companies employing the illegal workers.

“Migrant workers with illegal status are having a tough time. The government has launched an action against companies hiring illegal workers,” Nepali Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Udaya Raj Pandey told the Post over the phone. Pandey said the embassy is also having tough time to manage documents and giving legal assistance to migrant workers facing arrest. According to him, the embassy is acutely understaffed to handle the cases of deportation as it has to deal with around 25 dead bodies and provide assistance to around 30 housemaids

every month. The embassy currently has only seven staff, including labour attaché and local recruits.

After Malaysia and Qatar, Saudi Arabia is the third biggest work destination for the Nepalis with around 600,000 workers, of which over 70,000 are reportedly working without legal permits.

However, the deportation process is a very complicated affair. Under kafala, the system that governs the working lives of every foreigner employed in Saudi Arabia, workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer’s permission. The embassies have to provide the legal assistance in order to clear hurdles to obtain the exit visa. “Workers are forced to wait at least several weeks in the jail-like detention centre before beingdeported ,” Pandey said. Last week, Saudi minister for Labour Adel Fakeih had announced a tougher initiative beginning next month, will also see police officers deployed to effectively implement the ministry’s directives.

The Saudi government, according to Fakeih, will deploy around 1,000 new inspectors to monitor the employment agencies and illegal workers under the initiative. Of the total 9 million foreign workers, an estimated 2 million are working illegally in Saudi Arabia. The country has already deported 900,000 workers over the last 18 months.

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

The programme requires companies operating in the kingdom to reserve a certain percentage of their workforce for the Saudis. For instance, any company with more than 10 and up to 49 workers are required to have to set aside a 10 percent quota for the Saudis. Depending on their level of compliance, the enterprises are categorised into four zones—Excellent, Green, Yellow and Red. Those complying with Nitaqat norms will be rewarded, while those failing will be categorised as ‘red’ and closed down.

Published on: 28 April 2013 | The Kathmandu Post