JEDDAH: A major problem faced by the labor recruitment offices in the Kingdom is the forgery of permits and visas, according to a recent study done by the Ministry of Labor.
The other problems identified in the report include the outdated regulations followed by recruitment offices and lack of inspectors to verify the fact about the claims made by visa applicants, Al-Eqtisadiah daily reported last week.
The study made several proposals to eliminate the problems faced by the labor offices. Fraud attempts could be reduced with increased coordination between labor offices and relevant authorities inside and outside the Kingdom.
The report also recommended establishment of recruitment companies, which may recruit foreign labor to hire to private companies, which do not need more than 10 workers for specified periods of time. The study also suggested that the Ministry of Labor should provide a sufficient number of inspectors and researchers to recruitment companies so they may verify the claims of visa applicants.
Another problem faced by labor offices is a visa applicant changing the trade of a foreign worker. This is a trick played by those who want to do illegal trade in visas.
The study also noted that several Saudis applied for workers without specifying the qualifications needed for the trades they mentioned in original visa applications. It is apparent that their real goal is illegal trading in visas.
The study also proposed the banning of certain nationalities whose number outnumbers the workers of other nationalities, thus leading to an undesirable situation in which some particular nationalities monopolize the job market.
Another problem that necessitated the import of foreign workers was the low wages paid to foreign workers that produce unfair competition with Saudis who cannot or will not work at those wage rates. The study recommended the opening of training centers for Saudi women in such trades.
The report said the problem of certain trades being looked down by Saudi workers could be tackled by offering better wages and other perks on the one hand and changing the objectionable title of the job to some thing more attractive.
The study added that the ministry is willing to modernize old regulations and introduce electronic linking between labor offices and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their close coordination in recruitment matters.
