RIYADH: India is taking all possible measures to help new recruits find the right company to work for and acceptable terms and conditions before arriving in Saudi Arabia, said Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmad. Ahmad said he was delighted to know that the Saudi government has extended the amnesty period till September of this year for foreigners who continue to stay in the Kingdom after the expiry of their Umrah or visit visas and for those workers who have become illegal by virtue of their sponsors reporting them as runaway employees. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has already issued thousands of emergency certificates (EC) to Indian workers who applied under the Saudi amnesty, and the ambassador said that he is hopeful that the concerned Saudi departments will expedite the departure of those who have already received travel documents. “As far as the future is concerned we are committed to preventing our people from becoming illegal. But we should also realize that people do not become illegal by choice,” the envoy said. Ahmad was speaking to Saudi Gazette after inaugurating the Indian Food Festival at Hotel Al-Khozama in Riyadh. The three-week Indian Food Festival is offering diners a variety of food from various parts of the country, which Ahmad described as an important element of bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and India. The envoy said India has already engaged in creating awareness among Indians seeking to work in Saudi Arabia by helping them find the right company to work for. The workers can seek help from the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs about the status of the recruiting agent and then send emails to the Indian missions in Saudi Arabia with details of the employment contract. He said it would be a new challenge for the embassy to locate a company that an Indian worker is recruited to work for. “However, we have made a firm commitment to Indians seeking employment. The workers should be ensured that the employment they are taking with a company is right and that the terms and conditions of the contract are acceptable to them,” Ahmad said. He said very often the promises which have been made in terms of wages, accommodation and other working conditions are not fulfilled and workers find themselves in a difficult situation when they arrive in the Kingdom. Sometimes, he said workers find that once they have reached Saudi Arabia, the salary offered is much lower and the job description different from that which both parties (employer and employee) agreed upon during the time of recruitment, and this then becomes the cause of labor disputes. This is a problem that the authorities from both countries should work together to solve and employers (sponsors) should be educated about their responsibilities, the envoy added. “However, I am personally very satisfied with the cooperation from the Saudi authorities in that it is clear that they not only understand the problem but are also coming up with a number of new ideas to help protect the rights of workers,” he said.
