RIYADH — Saudi authorities are mulling a mechanism to weed out stray workers who rove the streets looking for odd jobs. The ministries of Interior and Labor have decided to form a joint committee, similar to the national Saudization panel, to be tasked with inspection tours to put an end to the phenomenon. A large number of foreigners can be found roaming the streets looking for temporary jobs all over the Kingdom. These people have either run away from their employers or have been allowed to look for employment elsewhere by their Saudi sponsors in return for a fixed monthly fee. In order to combat the phenomenon, the Ministry of Labor plans to benefit from the Wage Protection Regulation that requires the transfer of workers' salaries through bank accounts. The requirement helps the ministry understand the extent of commitment by employers to their workers and identify those who are not on the pay rolls of their employers. The authorities have worked out a plan to benefit from the Wage Protection Regulation that will be launched by the Ministry of Labor soon in conjunction with the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), Al-Watan newspaper reported quoting an unnamed official at the ministry. The official said the system would enable the ministry to monitor payment of wages and identify foreigners who do not work for their employers. The experts committee at the Council of Ministers has finalized amendments to the Labor Law and a law has been drafted that defines the procedure to deal with violators of the labor market regulations. The amended Article 29 of the Labor Law empowers the Ministry of Interior to arrest, punish and deport foreigners who work illegally. The law will also enable the ministry to penalize people who shelter, employ and transport illegal residents. The amended article also authorizes Labor Ministry's inspectors to carry out surprise checks on companies and establishments to ensure compliance with regulations. According to SAMA estimates, expatriate remittances will reach SR128 billion by the end of the current year, a 16 percent increase over last year. Studies attribute the spread of the phenomenon of stray workers to the fact that unskilled laborers carry out low-paying jobs Saudis refuse to do. Citizens who trade in work visas and overstaying Haj and Umrah pilgrims have also added to the problem. Earlier, Fahd Al-Sharee, Vice-President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Eastern Province, said the country's latest nationalization program known as Nitaqat that seeks to create more employment opportunities for citizens by forcing companies to employ a certain percentage of nationals in their workforces, has caused the transport sector losses over SR200 million. “The Nitaqat program has undoubtedly had adverse effects on the sector due to the fact that there is a severe shortage of Saudi drivers.” he said. — SG
