RIYADH, 17 July 2004 — The Ministry of Labor has stopped transfer of visas for workers without university and technical college certificates, Al-Watan newspaper reported. The Labor Ministry recently took over the responsibility for transferring visas which was previously held by the Passport Department.
Manager of the Labor Office in Riyadh, Hamad Al-Hedaithi, said that visa transfers were stopped after receiving an order to cease all transfers for low-skilled workers and limit them to professionals with university and technical degrees. The order is to increase the job opportunities for Saudis in the labor market and to put an end to visa frauds committed by some institutions that obtain a visa and then sell it.
