Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, issued directives Wednesday to link issuance and renewal of residence permits (Iqamas) for foreign engineers with their registrations with the Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE). Engineer Abdullah Ahmad Bugshan, chairman of the SCE, said the organization works to improve the engineering profession by establishing criteria for engineers and setting rules for their accreditation, which were approved for all engineers working in the Kingdom. Those rules and principles were established to evaluate engineers' academic qualifications and practical experience and maintain continuous development by helping them follow the latest developments in their fields of specialization, Bugshan said. The efforts are made with the goal of protecting and achieving prosperity for society and creating a professional records for engineers in which their qualification levels and professional experience are documented, he added. A large number of engineers have been registered and they have been granted professional grades according to their backgrounds and professional accreditation and they have received the support of most of the country's public and private sectors, Bugshan said. Organizations supporting the accreditation program include the ministries of Interior, Civil Service, Higher Education, Labor, Planning and Economy, and Municipal and Rural Affairs; Shoura Council, Saudi Aramco, the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Saline Water Conversion Corporation and the Royal Saudi Navy. At the Gulf and Arab level, the Federation of Arab Engineers and the Gulf Engineering Federation have approved implementation of the Kingdom's accreditation system.
