KATHMANDU: Saudi Arabia has reformed its“kafala” sponsorship system.
The end of the sponsorship system under the Kingdom’s new Labour Reform Initiative (LRI) will give expatriate workers freedom to secure exit and re-entry visas, receive the final passport exit stamp and gain employment in Saudi Arabia without the approval of a sponsor.
Currently, more than 10 million foreign workers live in Saudi Arabia under the kafala system, which requires them to be sponsored by a Saudi employer and be issued with an exit/re-entry visa whenever they want to leave the country.
The new legislation allows permit holders to enjoy several privileges previously extended only to Saudi citizens, such as owning real estate, renting out of properties, educational and health services, and other utilities specified in the Executive Regulations.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development last November announced it would implement starting March 2021 new conditions under which expatriate workers in the Kingdom can benefit with the aim of improving the kafala sponsorship system in the Kingdom, Alalarabiya reported.
The new conditions include stipulations that will allow migrant workers to transfer to other jobs upon the expiry of their work contract without the need for their former employer’s approval.
The newly reformed laws pertaining to foreign labor workers also include transition mechanisms during the validity of the contract, provided that the notice period and the specified controls are adhered to.
It also provides an exit and returns service, which allows a migrant worker to travel outside Saudi Arabia, upon submitting the application, with an online notification to the employer without the need to seek prior permission.
A ‘final exit’ stipulation will also enable a migrant worker to leave immediately after the end of their contract, with an online notification sent to an employer without requiring his or her consent.
The reformed system will also address exceptional cases where workers were not provided with a work contract or who did not receive their salaries.
The kafala system in Saudi Arabia previously tied workers to their employers, or sponsors, who are responsible for the employees’ visa and legal status. The new law would limit the relationship between employers and expatriate workers under the system, who primarily work in construction and domestic work.
(with inputs from Alarabiya)
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