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Nitaqat cleanup: 2 million face ax

March 24, 2013

Nitaqat

Jeddah, Mar 24: At least 2 million expatriates may lose their jobs or leave the Kingdom shortly as about 250,000 small and medium enterprises will be listed in the Red category of the Labor Ministry’s Nitaqat system on Wednesday.

“About 250,000 trade, industrial and service firms have been given warning that their work permits would not be renewed because they have so far failed to employ at least one Saudi,” Al-Yaum reported yesterday quoting a high-level Labor Ministry source.

The deadline given to these SMEs to correct their situation ends Wednesday. The ministry had asked these firms to employ at least one Saudi to change their status and receive the ministry’s various services.

The source said the ministry would not renew work permits of employees in Red category firms and as a result their iqamas would not be renewed. According to a new law passed by the Cabinet, such iqama violators will be arrested and deported by the Interior Ministry.

The source said the ministry would provide regional governorates a list of SMEs that have so far failed to employ Saudis to take punitive action.

About a month ago, there were 340,000 firms without even a single Saudi working there. These firms have been given a deadline to correct their situation by March 27.

Saudi Arabia has deported more than 200,000 foreigners staying illegally in the country in four months, Passport Department officials said. The deportees included people who were smuggled into the country and expatriates who did not regularize their stay or were not allowed to renew their resident permits.

A majority of 250,000 firms in the Kingdom are involved in illegal cover-up businesses. The new law passed by the Cabinet targets such businesses and those involved in such activities would be punished.

“What is happening in Saudi Arabia now is a cleaning operation,” said Usman Irumpuzhi, an Indian journalist based in Jeddah. “This is a move against illegal workers and businesses, not against expatriates. The companies in the Premium and Green categories are still allowed to recruit foreign workers,” he told Arab News.

He said many Indians have already left the Kingdom on exit only visas because of the new regulations. “According to some sources, at least 100 Indians are leaving Jeddah every day on exit-only visas. This will definitely create a shortage in the number of workers and prices of goods and services will go up,” he added.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

Kuwait, Aug 2: Kuwait has barred entry of foreign passengers from over 30 countries including India and China.

A circular from the Director General Civil Aviation, State of Kuwait directed all airlines operating at Kuwait International Airport to adhere to the instructions in this regard.

"Based on the decision of the Health Authority in State of Kuwait, no foreign passenger coming from the down listed countries will be allowed to enter the State of Kuwait," the circular read.

These include- India, Iran, China, Brazil, Colombia, Armenia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Syria, Spain, Singapore, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Iraq, Mexico, Indonesia, Chile, Pakistan, Egypt, Lebanon, Hong Kong, Italy, North Macedonia, Moldova, Panama, Beirut ,Serbia Montenegro, Dominican Republic and Kosovo.

The circular stated that such restriction will also include the passengers were present 14 days before the date of travel until further notice.

The ban was announced the same day Kuwait began a partial resumption of commercial flights according to Khaleej Times, which quoted authorities stating that Kuwait International Airport would run at about 30 per cent capacity from Saturday, gradually increasing in coming months.

According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, Kuwait has reported 67,448 cases of coronavirus while the fatalities related to the virus stand at 453.

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Agencies
July 23,2020

Abu Dhabi, Jul 23: Muslims in the United Arab Emirates have been asked to perform Eid Al-Adha prayers at home even as mosques will be allowed to operate at an increased capacity of 50 percent from Aug. 3.

Mosques in the UAE have been operating at 30 percent capacity after they reopened on July 1.

Announcing the move, Dr. Saif Al Dhaheri, the official spokesman for the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, stated that after assessing the situation and coordinating with the concerned authorities, it was decided that Eid Al-Adha prayers would be conducted in homes and takbeers broadcast through visual and audio means.

He also announced that the Emirates Fatwa Council has recommended that donations and sacrifices should be to official charitable causes in the country only.

Al Dhaheri advised the public to donate during this time to the official charitable bodies in the country with sacrifices and donations, through smart applications concerned with sacrifices or through slaughterhouses outlined by the local authorities that guarantee the application of precautionary and preventive measures and provide remote services without the need to enter livestock markets or slaughterhouses.

Al Dhaheri stressed the need to avoid family visits and gatherings, and replace them using electronic means of communication or phone contact, as well as refraining from distributing Eid gifts and money to children and individuals during this occasion recommending to instead use of electronic alternatives.

Al Dhaheri pointed out that it is necessary to avoid visiting pregnant women, children and those with chronic diseases who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 and not to allow them to leave the home and avoid going out to public places to preserve their health and safety.

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Agencies
May 1,2020

Saudi Arabia has initiated refund of work visa fee to foreigners unable to travel to the Kingdom due to the suspension of international flights in the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic.

Several work visas were cancelled, following which the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the refund. The cancellation and refunding of the stamped visas will be considered effective from the date of issuance of the royal decree on March 18, reported Saudi Gazette.

As a precautionary measure to curb the spread of coronavirus, the Kingdom suspended all international flight. The ministry of health in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday announced 1,325 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases and 169 recoveries. With this, the total number of cases in the Kingdom now stands at 21,402, while recoveries stand at 2,953, as on Wednesday reported KT.

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