Expatriates of various nationalities have welcomed the government's decision asking all private sector companies and establishments to pay salaries to all their staff through banks. “This will protect our rights and ensure we get our wages on time,” said Omar Abdullah, an Indian worker in a sales job. The move will help expatriates because about 90 percent of workers in the private sector are foreigners. Abdullah Al-Haqbani, Undersecretary for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Labor, was quoted by Al-Madina Arabic daily as saying that the move would protect employees' rights and prevent any act of tasattur. The move, which the ministry hopes could be implemented in three months, would also minimize labor disputes, he said. “Once this program is put in place, an employer may not be required to pay salaries in cash,” he said. Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency and some private sector companies are studying the proposal. Talat Hafiz, secretary general of the committee on banking awareness and media for Saudi banks, said that it will protect the rights of all employees and put an end to bogus Saudization cases and manipulation of employees' wages. “The Ministry of Labor and SAMA will coordinate with respect to the proper mechanism which will be used for opening bank accounts for private sector employees. The program will allow employees to withdraw salaries from ATMs whenever they want,” he said. The move is part of the Gulf Kingdom's most aggressive job nationalization program dubbed “Nitaqat” aimed at curbing national unemployment and end anarchy in the labour market. All companies operating in the largest Arab economy will be forced to open bank accounts for their employees when the new law is enforced within the next three months.
