Saudi Arabia mulls permanent residency for expatriates

April 6, 2016

Manama, Apr 6: Saudi Arabia could introduce a system for its millions of expatriates that would be similar to the Green Card system in the US.

expatriatesThe inclination, announced by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud in an interview with Bloomberg, would help the kingdom generate new revenues for the national economy.

No details were given by Prince Mohammad, but with around nine million foreigners living in the vast kingdom, making up one third of the total population, the system would be a source for the country as it seeks to implement an ambitious package of new reforms and measures that will considerably improve its non-oil revenues and “raise at least an extra $100 billion a year by 2020, more than tripling non-oil income and balancing the budget.”

“It's a large package of programmes that aims to restructure some revenue-generating sectors,” Prince Mohammad told Bloomberg.

The emulation of the American Green Card system would be alongside more steps to restructure subsidies and the imposition of a value-added tax and a levy on energy and sugary drinks as well as luxury items, the deputy crown prince reportedly said.

Most of the foreigners in Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirate – are Asians, mainly unskilled workers in the booming building and service sectors.

In his interview, Prince Mohammad expressed optimism the new measures would reinforce the government's drive to reduce reliance on oil and to boost non-oil revenues.

“We did a quick fix in 2015 which increased our non-oil revenue by 35 per cent,” he said. “This year, we are trying to target over $25 billion. I believe we will succeed in achieving more than $10 billion in non-oil revenue in 2016.”

With the dramatic slump of oil prices, the GCC countries have been looking at viable options to generate non-oil sources and reduce threats to fiscal stability and sustainability.

Experts believe that hydrocarbon exports represent more than 80 per cent of the total revenue in the GCC countries where taxation is almost absent.

The main non-oil revenue base in the GCC states currently includes customs duties and fees and charges.

Bahrain, the first GCC country to discover oil in 1932, has been leading the way in the diversification of non-oil resources.

Comments

Naren kotian
 - 
Thursday, 7 Apr 2016

Hahaha viren ..namge beda aa wahabi rashtra ..muzzies here in this column please note yelli yenne sigalvo ..yelli dance bars or disco theck ilvo ...antha rashtra kke banni makla full citizenship kodthivi andru ..beda milk shake mama neene itko beda andu bidteevi ...we are well aware soon saud family will collapse ...Isis is already making deep inroads into Saudi ...they have the weakest army in the world .this program will encourage Indo pakis who are in very large No's in India .no non Muslims will take PR for sure .as per IMF due to decline in oil revenues for the first time they are reeling into debt. Haha..soon it will create more problem as they don't have alternate non oil source ..milk shakes ge bere field nalli ashtu talent saha illa. ..

KhasaiKhaane
 - 
Thursday, 7 Apr 2016

Hahahahah... So Non-Muslims also want green card in Saudi? Check if you can avail one, but make sure you don't worship Camel Maatha,..!
There are other disadvantages though;
- No Riots
- No Photoshop
- No Love Jihad issue.
- No Moral policing
- No Lynching
- No Alchohol/Drugs
- No Pornography
- No Rapes
Are you sure you chaddis will be able to survive without all this?

DEAR VIREN
 - 
Thursday, 7 Apr 2016

Just study QURAN, YOU will understand Y u feel grudge against MUSLIMS...
Our CREATOR speaks about the CREATION & also he Warns us about Y grudge, Jealousy, Sin, hate, crime, DECEPTION & other Evils come from... and ROOT it comes from.
Animals live their way and Man was created by ALLAH with intelligence... Sometimes Use your intelligence to know what our CREATOR speaks... and dont live like the animals.

mohammad.n
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

Viren why do u need now muslim country green card?

Satyameva jayate
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

Viren...say Bharat Mata ki jai n enjoy your stay here..why worried about green card

Owaisi
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

@ Viren Kotian 100% only for Muslims and should accept Saudi Arabia Islamic Rules with respect

Riyaz
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

Viren Kotiyaaan
Why are you intrested in the permanent residence of KSA. you should be happy in india with the chaddies ruling you. And by the way not everyone in the world is like you and your chadii rulers. there are people who look for the Human attributes in human beings not only religion . thats why there are many RSS chaddies who earn in saudi and send the money to their families in india.

mangalorean
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

I think for you spcially we will recommend govt to get red card to ban saudi arabia

Viren Kotian
 - 
Wednesday, 6 Apr 2016

Only for muslims or non muslims also will get green card?

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News Network
February 22,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 22: Karnataka legislative assembly speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri has issued a notification banning entry of journalists in the Legislators House.

"Electronic media and print media cannot enter the Legislators House any time," the notification issued by the Speaker's office read.

The notification which was issued on February 18 said, "The legislators come to Legislators House from their constituencies during the assembly session. It is their private time when they stay there. When journalists come to Legislators House to meet them, it's an invasion of their privacy."

"Arrangements will be made for journalists to speak to MLAs outside the gate. No journalist or camera person will be allowed inside the gate," the notification added.

The Legislators House is located near the Vidhan Soudha, the state legislative assembly.

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News Network
April 29,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 29: Karnataka government on Tuesday ordered organisations and NGOs in the state to distribute food to people in plastic boxes and not in polythene bags.

"The state government has ordered the distribution of food and meals in plastic boxes instead of in polythene bags," said the Information and Public Relations Department of the state government.

According to the government, during Covid-19, not only government departments and agencies but also various organisations and NGOs are providing meals to workers in polythene covers.

"However, in order to protect the health of the workers, the government has ordered the supply of food or meals in plastic boxes instead of polythene covers," it added.

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News Network
March 23,2020

Kasaragod, Mar 23: The district administration on Monday decided to abandon efforts to map out the movement details of the NRI who came from Dubai recently and came into contact with many in North Kerala.

The district has been completely locked down since Monday morning, on the directive of the Central Government. Prohibitory orders have been slapped in the district since Sunday night to restrict socialisation of the people.

As the person now in isolation have allegedly been non-cooperative, the authorities were finding it difficult to sketch out a rote map as his movement and socialisation has been so vast and wide since his arrival here on March 12.

The middle aged and popular NRI who landed at Karipur airpprt on March 11 had been in Calicut till midnight prior to boarding the Maveli Express to make it to his hometown Kasaragod, which is 160 kms away from Calicut. He had come into contact with very many, including two MLAs of the district, prior to getting tested positive and getting isolated in the hospital.

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