Stranded workers in Jubail who were brought to the Kingdom on work visit visas in 2013. These workers, who now have illegal status, are being forced to work on a plant expansion project in Jubail Industrial City. — SG photo Saeed Haider Saudi Gazette
DAMMAM — The Dammam Labor Court has admitted the case of 20 of the 24 workers who came to Saudi Arabia on work visit visas more than a year ago and have been stranded without salary for several months. Saudi Gazette highlighted their woes and soon after the publication of the report, the labor court, which had earlier refused to admit the case, accepted their case. Four of the 24 stranded workers opted against filing the case for “personal reasons”. Shamsudheen Chettippadi, an Indian Embassy volunteer who is providing help to these stranded workers, said the workers, who were subjected to mental and physical torture, are now hopeful that they will soon return home. Two of the workers lost members of their family last month. Meanwhile, another case of 15 Indian workers has been brought to the notice of Saudi Gazette. These 15 Indians were brought to the Kingdom on work visit visas in June/July 2013. A work visit visa is normally valid for three months and can be extended for another three months. These workers, who have illegal status, are being forced to work on a plant expansion project in Jubail Industrial City. As per Saudi labor law, hiring illegal workers is a cognizable offense involving both the sponsors and the company that commissions them to work. The 15 illegal workers allege that they have not been paid their salaries for the past four months and are being forced to work on the site. However, unlike the 24 stranded Indians in Al-Khobar, these workers are provided with accommodation and adequate food. An official of the company that hired these 15 employees told Saudi Gazette that they had already paid the penalty and that the documents of these workers have been sent to Riyadh for renewal in order to get exit visas for them. He said the workers know that we have initiated the process for their departure. “I don't know why they went to the labor court. Let me assure them through your columns that they all will depart very soon and we will pay their dues,” he said. However, he did not have any answer to the question as to why it had taken so long to initiate the process. Legally these workers should have left the Kingdom in December 2013. The plight of these workers also exposes the fraudulent practices of recruiting agents in India, who dupe innocent, uneducated and desperate poor people who want to make a quick buck. The 15 workers were unaware that they were going on work visit visas after paying a hefty illegal fee to the agents. They were recruited by three agencies in New Delhi and Mumbai. Among these stranded workers nine are from Bihar, four from Uttar Pradesh, and two from West Bengal. According to regulations, the Saudi Embassy requires “the original contract for temporary work under the applicant's name signed by the sponsoring company and the applicant. The work period shown in the contract should match the duration of the visa; the contract should be attested by a Saudi chamber of commerce.” None of the 15 workers possesses any such document. How the recruiting agencies procured their visas remains a big question mark.
