THE Kingdom’s sponsorship system is old. According to this system, foreigners are not allowed to take up residence in the Kingdom without a Saudi sponsor. The system was meant to make the sponsor responsible for people under his sponsorship and for bringing them to the authorities in case of a criminal violation.
The General Directorate of Passports, since its establishment, has had special regulations in place for foreigners. Many amendments have been made to make matters more complicated. Security was the main intention behind these regulations. However, they have now become obsolete and inappropriate due to the complexities of contemporary life and the large number of foreigners living in the Kingdom.
The security apparatus has developed tremendously in both quality and quantity. It is no longer in need of anyone to bring criminals to them. Society has also progressed to a level where we don’t need all these regulations.
The sponsorship system has been criticized by international organizations. The Human Rights Commission has studied this problem and come up with new proposals in line with contemporary global laws and norms. The commission has suggested the complete scrapping of the responsibilities of a sponsor and substituting them with a comprehensive insurance policy that would guarantee foreign workers’ financial rights and duties.
The sponsorship system should be replaced with a new system that would comply with the requirements of human rights. A new system has become a necessity for the good of the Kingdom and its reputation. This new system should be implemented without any further delay.
