The Philippine mission in the Kingdom has advised Filipino expats not to panic following the implementation of new labor laws from Monday.

The embassy and consulate said steps were being taken to ensure the smooth processing of final exit and repatriation of expats keen to return home.

In a statement on Tuesday, embassy officials reassured the Filipino community all over the Kingdom that the Philippine government was ready to provide assistance to OFWs. It also urged Filipino nationals in the Kingdom to familiarize themselves with the new rules.

The embassy and the consulate will continue to coordinate with authorities for the processing of final exit visas for nationals wishing to be repatriated.

The embassy is currently confirming the procedures and timeframe for those who have no original copy of their residence card or iqama, their passport with the border number, or those who have not gone through the biometric process.

The Embassy in Riyadh has already received advice on procedures for women and is coordinating for the procedures to be followed by males.

According to field engineers, the construction industry was badly affected with workers not turning up for work at construction sites fearing detention and other punitive measures. The fate of mega projects hangs in balance with the shortage of workers, sending prospective investors who are attracted to the Kingdom into a tizzy.

Meanwhile, Arab News visited areas frequented by expats in the capital Monday night, the beginning of the new labor law enforcement.

Ministry of Labor sources said that raids had begun in official areas in several parts of the Kingdom. They, however, affirmed that labor ministry officials would not raid residential areas.

Many people working in the Olayya area of the Saudi capital said enforcement officials were seen since Monday inquiring about details like visas and iqama status. Olayya is a growing financial district in Riyadh.

According to a source, inspectors are deployed in various places as planned and move around.

Batha district did not seem to be affected significantly though some shops remained closed, indicating that officials had not yet started inspections in the area. There was a drop in customer visits in some shops but it did not greatly affect the business routine.

According to the new rules governing foreign workers violating labor and residency rules circulated through a formal diplomatic note, foreign workers who work illegally on their own will be apprehended, penalized and deported.