RIYADH — The Ministry of Labor has cancelled 620 work visas after detecting that they were obtained by a private firm through fraudulent means. Khaled Abal Khail, director general of media at the ministry, said that the online visas were issued through the Government Support System under which the government agencies are allowed to issue visas through the ministry's portal. "It has been discovered by the ministry that the firm received the visas on the basis of incorrect information that it had signed contracts to implement government projects. All the recruitment procedures of the firm have been stopped and no work permits have been issued to workers hired by the firm by using these illegal visas," he said. Abal Khail said that the ministry has referred this case to the concerned authorities to take legal action against the firm and those involved in the issuance of these visas. It was noteworthy that the ministry had revoked a total of 4,075 similar work visas issued illegally nearly one month ago. Punitive measures are underway against those involved in this also, the Saudi Press Agency reported. In another development, the ministry has issued online temporary work permit for 847 Syrian expatriates, who hold visit visas, via Ajeer electronic gate. The ministry gave the Syrian male and female visitors between the ages of 18 and 60 an opportunity to obtain work permits from Feb. 16 to 27. The holders of the temporary permit will be allowed to work with certain trades or individual sponsors or establishments for a period of six months in line with the ministry's rules and regulations. They can work with these documents without the need to have either identity cards or transfer of sponsorship, said Abal Khail. Previously, the ministry had corrected the status of Yemenis who were in the Kingdom illegally before April 9 last year. Ajeer provided Yemenis temporary work permits, valid for six months, after obtaining travel documents from their government.
