A Makkah businessman has proposed a one-year grace period for privately owned firms to rectify the status of their workers because of the negative impact of the recent raids by government agencies.

Former deputy chairman of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zeyad Farsi, said the Ministry of Labor should not punish sectors where there is a shortage of Saudi workers. "These matters should be handled carefully, and enough time given to apply regulations. Maybe there should be a grace period of one year for businesses to rectify visas and residency cards," he said.

Violators should be penalized after the end of the grace period, he said, adding that there is a black market in visas currently in the Kingdom.

The newspaper also reported that the Council of Saudi Chambers will also ask the Ministry of Labor to give private sector businesses a grace period to sort out residency and work permits of their employees.

Sources in the council said the Ministry of Labor should take action without harming the national economy. The recent crackdown has seen large numbers of foreign workers flee to avoid fines.

A report by the Ministry of Economy and Planning said that the majority of workers in the private sector are expatriates.