Mohammed Alshoaiby Saudi Gazette RIYADH – Following the extension by four more months an amnesty enabling illegal expat workers to regularize their status or return home without prosecution, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced new concessions for expats and their dependents. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered "extending the time limit" of the amnesty which was due to expire on Wednesday until Nov. 3, the Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Tuesday. Undocumented expat workers will now have until the end of the current Hijri year 1434 to correct their status, SPA said. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday Deputy Minister of Labor Dr. Mufraj Al-Haqbani said the amnesty period allows dependents of expatriates to work as long as they have a written request from the business that wishes to employ them, are at least 18 years of age and have been listed as dependents to legally resident expatriates for at least one year. The firm hiring the dependent must also have the consent of the sponsor of the dependent. Businesses which wish to employ dependents of expatriates need to submit written requests to the Ministry of Labor, but they must have the authorization in the Nitaqat program to import foreign labor. In case the work contract period of the dependent ends or the employer terminates the contract, the employer will have no right to send the dependent of an expat home on final exit. In such cases, the dependent can transfer services to a new employer without the consent of the existing employer or can return to the original sponsor. The dependent who returns to the original sponsor can take up another job only after the completion of one year. If the sponsor's period of contract ends before the contract of his dependent, the sponsor can remain with the dependent until the end of the dependent's work contract. To employ dependents in the education sector, the institution should get the approval from the
