What to do with illegal workers?

The large number of expatriates lining up in front of consulates to correct their status has become a very prominent phenomenon in recent days. They are in a race against time before the grace period ends on July 3. To make matters more complicated, the Labor ministry and passport department will continue to campaign against iqama violators. The question is: wasn’t there a system in place before?

I don't know what will happen to those who are arrested. Will they be deported or will they be referred to the preliminary committee to have their labor disputes settled.

I will not, under any circumstances, call for tolerance for those who entered the country illegally. I would rather ask for their immediate deportation and to increase the security operations at the borders to stop more intruders from coming. I also demand maximum penalties for Saudis helping intruders to cross the borders.

I will also not ask for tolerance for those who visited the Kingdom for pilgrimage but never went back home.

But when it comes to what is called “violating the labor and Iqama regulations,” it is a totally different story.

This usually refers to workers who entered the country to work legally and in most cases paid everything they had to get the visa.

But when they arrived here, they found they had to find jobs on their own.

They are asked to send part of the money they make to their employer by the end of each month and if they don’t they will be reported at the passport office as “Horoob” or Arabic for runaway.

They are often exploited when it is time to renew their Iqama, or exit/re-entry permits.

Although there are penalties against the violating employers they are not used effectively. Many of us justify the campaign against the violator but we are driven by love of our unemployed Saudi brothers.

However, we are frustrated with the extreme tolerance when applying regulations. Many of us are very angry that the visa-dealers are not strictly dealt with.

But we have to admit that the rights granted to workers by labor regulations should be followed.

As I write this column, I have in my hands a copy of a lawsuit filed against a company that let its expatriate employee work on his own for five years.

Both parties have succeeded in proving the legality of their position. So, be gentle with your workers, gentlemen.