INDIAN EMBASSY, RIYADH: PRESS RELEASE
Meeting of the India – Saudi Arabia Joint Group to discuss labour
issues – May 1, 2013
All Indian workers who have travelled to Saudi Arabia legally will be
allowed to regularize their visa status, get new jobs or to return to
India if they
chose to register voluntarily with the Saudi authorities during the three months
grace period announced by His Majesty the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques. This was among the issues discussed at the Joint Group meeting
held today (May 1, 2013) at the Saudi Ministry of Labour. Deputy Minister for
Labour Affairs Ahmad S. Al Humaidan, Deputy Minister for International
Affairs Dr. Ahmed F. Al Fahaid and Deputy Minister for Labour Relations
Ziyad I Alsaigh received the team led by Shri Sibi George, Minister/Deputy
Chief of Mission.
The Joint Group will continue their discussions next week. The Joint
Group was set up during the discussions between H.E. Mr. Adel Fakeih,
Minister of Labour of Saudi Arabia and Indian delegation led by Minister for
Overseas Indian Affairs Shri Vayalar Ravi in Jeddah on April 28. The Joint
Group is mandated to discuss all issues pertaining to the welfare of the Indian
community in Saudi Arabia including immediate issues pertaining to
implementation of Nitaqat programme and overstaying Indian workers. The
Joint Group also discussed re-employment of those overstaying Indian
workers in Saudi Arabia by availing the facilities offered by the Ministry of
Labour including services of the newly set up mega-recruiting companies.
The Embassy urges all Indians affected by the Nitaqat programme and
those overstaying in Saudi Arabia to register their names at the Ministry of
Labour website
www.redyellow.com.sa. This site is being visited regularly by
various Saudi companies to look for Indian workers.
The Ministry of Labour will be issuing shortly a series of measures
aimed at helping the expatriate workers to regularize their stay in Saudi Arabia
or to return to their countries. Those workers volunteering to utilize the three
months grace period and have no legal issues pending against them will not
be blacklisted and would be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia with appropriate
visas. They also need not go through deportation centers. The Ministry of
Labour informed that those who have legal cases against them would need to
settle such cases before their return to India. However, those who have legal
cases against them could also change their jobs to new employers if they
register voluntarily with the Ministry of Labour. The details are
currently being
worked out. 2
The Ministry of Labour clarified that in Saudi Arabia it is illegal for any
employer/companies to keep the passports or Iqamas of their employees. As
per Saudi laws, it is the right of the employees to keep their passports and
Iqamas. The Embassy has clarified to the Ministry of Labour that in case of
workers who face difficulties to change their sponsorship due to
nonavailability of passports they would be issued new passports on a
priority
basis.
The Embassy of India urges all those affected by Nitaqat programme
and those overstaying Indian workers to utilize the three months grace period
announced by the Saudi authorities to regularize their status or to leave the
country. The Embassy has also been collecting Emergency Certificate (EC)
applications from those Indians currently overstaying in Saudi Arabia so that
their cases can be taken up with the Saudi authorities within the framework of
applicable Saudi laws. The Embassy urges all Indian nationals who are
unable to leave Saudi Arabia due to non availability of Indian or Saudi
documents to register with the Embassy within a month. The collection
centers set up at the Indian Schools namely IIS Riyadh, IIPS Riyadh, IIS
Dammam, IIS Jeddah, IIS Jubail, IIS Buraidah, IIS Al-Khafji, IIS Taif, IIS
Majmah and IIS Tabuk could be used for submission of EC applications.
These could also be sent by Post/Courier alongwith copy of the passport,
resident permit and any other document to establish the Indian nationality to
EC Section, Embassy of India, B-1 Diplomatic Quarter, PO Box 94387, Riyadh
- 11693, Saudi Arabia.
The Embassy seeks the support of volunteers from the community, not
necessarily social workers, to come forward to assist those affected by Nitaqat
programme and all overstaying Indian workers. Indian professionals, teachers
of Indian schools and others are urged to join the current campaign by the
Embassy. Those ready to do voluntary services in any part of the country may
send in their names, address, passport number and contact details to the
Embassy by May 5, 2013. They may register through emails to
wel.riyadh@mea.gov.in, with a copy to dcm.riyadh@mea.gov.in and
hoc.riyadh@mea.gov.in. The Embassy would contact those volunteers and
advise them on the next step in the process.
Meeting of the India – Saudi Arabia Joint Group to discuss labour
issues – May 1, 2013
All Indian workers who have travelled to Saudi Arabia legally will be
allowed to regularize their visa status, get new jobs or to return to
India if they
chose to register voluntarily with the Saudi authorities during the three months
grace period announced by His Majesty the Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques. This was among the issues discussed at the Joint Group meeting
held today (May 1, 2013) at the Saudi Ministry of Labour. Deputy Minister for
Labour Affairs Ahmad S. Al Humaidan, Deputy Minister for International
Affairs Dr. Ahmed F. Al Fahaid and Deputy Minister for Labour Relations
Ziyad I Alsaigh received the team led by Shri Sibi George, Minister/Deputy
Chief of Mission.
The Joint Group will continue their discussions next week. The Joint
Group was set up during the discussions between H.E. Mr. Adel Fakeih,
Minister of Labour of Saudi Arabia and Indian delegation led by Minister for
Overseas Indian Affairs Shri Vayalar Ravi in Jeddah on April 28. The Joint
Group is mandated to discuss all issues pertaining to the welfare of the Indian
community in Saudi Arabia including immediate issues pertaining to
implementation of Nitaqat programme and overstaying Indian workers. The
Joint Group also discussed re-employment of those overstaying Indian
workers in Saudi Arabia by availing the facilities offered by the Ministry of
Labour including services of the newly set up mega-recruiting companies.
The Embassy urges all Indians affected by the Nitaqat programme and
those overstaying in Saudi Arabia to register their names at the Ministry of
Labour website
www.redyellow.com.sa. This site is being visited regularly by
various Saudi companies to look for Indian workers.
The Ministry of Labour will be issuing shortly a series of measures
aimed at helping the expatriate workers to regularize their stay in Saudi Arabia
or to return to their countries. Those workers volunteering to utilize the three
months grace period and have no legal issues pending against them will not
be blacklisted and would be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia with appropriate
visas. They also need not go through deportation centers. The Ministry of
Labour informed that those who have legal cases against them would need to
settle such cases before their return to India. However, those who have legal
cases against them could also change their jobs to new employers if they
register voluntarily with the Ministry of Labour. The details are
currently being
worked out. 2
The Ministry of Labour clarified that in Saudi Arabia it is illegal for any
employer/companies to keep the passports or Iqamas of their employees. As
per Saudi laws, it is the right of the employees to keep their passports and
Iqamas. The Embassy has clarified to the Ministry of Labour that in case of
workers who face difficulties to change their sponsorship due to
nonavailability of passports they would be issued new passports on a
priority
basis.
The Embassy of India urges all those affected by Nitaqat programme
and those overstaying Indian workers to utilize the three months grace period
announced by the Saudi authorities to regularize their status or to leave the
country. The Embassy has also been collecting Emergency Certificate (EC)
applications from those Indians currently overstaying in Saudi Arabia so that
their cases can be taken up with the Saudi authorities within the framework of
applicable Saudi laws. The Embassy urges all Indian nationals who are
unable to leave Saudi Arabia due to non availability of Indian or Saudi
documents to register with the Embassy within a month. The collection
centers set up at the Indian Schools namely IIS Riyadh, IIPS Riyadh, IIS
Dammam, IIS Jeddah, IIS Jubail, IIS Buraidah, IIS Al-Khafji, IIS Taif, IIS
Majmah and IIS Tabuk could be used for submission of EC applications.
These could also be sent by Post/Courier alongwith copy of the passport,
resident permit and any other document to establish the Indian nationality to
EC Section, Embassy of India, B-1 Diplomatic Quarter, PO Box 94387, Riyadh
- 11693, Saudi Arabia.
The Embassy seeks the support of volunteers from the community, not
necessarily social workers, to come forward to assist those affected by Nitaqat
programme and all overstaying Indian workers. Indian professionals, teachers
of Indian schools and others are urged to join the current campaign by the
Embassy. Those ready to do voluntary services in any part of the country may
send in their names, address, passport number and contact details to the
Embassy by May 5, 2013. They may register through emails to
wel.riyadh@mea.gov.in, with a copy to dcm.riyadh@mea.gov.in and
hoc.riyadh@mea.gov.in. The Embassy would contact those volunteers and
advise them on the next step in the process.
கருத்துகள் இல்லை:
கருத்துரையிடுக