Saudi’s Ministry of Labor (MOL) Crack Down of Illegal Workers

Ministry of Labor in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is implementing and strengthening their drive to crack down illegal worker in Saudi Arabia. It is a joint effort of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) and the Ministry of Interior (MOI). It is now in the news and the subject of discussion in different places in Saudi Arabia. There are also some news and social media post regarding raids and issues about the crackdown.

A news posted in the Arab news last March 19, 2013 says that there was an amendment in the Labor law. Article 39 of the Labor Law was amended, preventing sponsors from allowing their employees to work for others.

According to the news, Al-Gorabi added that there are more illegal migrant workers in Saudi Arabia than any time in the past. The problem, he said, further compounds when a foreign worker deserts his sponsor and goes to work for another sponsor, if he or she is given a higher salary, said Al-Gorabi. He said that illegal workers also pose security as well as social problems.

“An employer is not allowed to let his worker works for others nor is he allowed to employ the workers of other sponsors,” the amended law said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Embassy have issued an Embassy advisory in response to queries concerning the recent concerted efforts undertaken by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  against expatriate workers working with employers other than those named in their iqama, working in jobs other than what is indicated in their work permits, and those without work permit.

The embassy provided some numbers for coordination as follows:

For information, Filipinos may call the following:

In Jeddah and regions under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah (Regions of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Tabuk, Al-MMadinah, Abha, Jizan, Najran,

• 0555-219-613
• 0561-956-142

In the regions of Riyadh, Hail, Qassim, Northern Border, Al-Jouf:

• 054-591-7834

In the Eastern Region:

• 050-126-9742

Here is the link to the complete advisory.  Philippine Advisory for filipinos Working for Different Sponsors

I advise my fellow Expatriates in Saudi Arabia, to abide with the labor rules and regulation as well as KSA laws or face the consequence.