The Makkah Passports Department is investigating a complaint by a citizen that his fleeing employee managed to renew his Iqama (residency permit) and was issued a re-entry visa without his knowledge. In his complaint, Abdul Matloub Al-Sahfi said he was taken by surprise when he learned that his employee traveled to his country with a re-entry visa and had his Iqama renewed without his consent stressing that he did not go to the Passports Department nor did he assign anyone else to carry out these procedures. Al-Sahfi pointed out that his fleeing employee renewed his Iqama in Riyadh although he resides in Jeddah. Passports Department spokesman in Makkah said, “Instructions are very clear in this regard that the renewal and the re-entry visa can only be done with the consent of the employer pointing out that investigations into the matter would take a long time.” The National Human Rights Society has submitted a study to higher authorities recommending that the sponsorship system is abolished besides developing cordial relationship between an employer and the employee. The study also suggested that the employer should not hold his employee's passport and that the employer's consent in order for the employee to bring his family to stay with him should not be needed. The study also suggested that the employer should be relieved of any responsibility stemming from the attitude of the employee outside the framework of his job.
