Syeda Amtul Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — During the initial three-month grace period announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, thousands of expatriates who were in violation of the country's labor and residency regulations found work through job fairs organized by various diplomatic missions in Jeddah. The Indian consulate arranged two large job fairs in addition to daily visits of companies seeking manpower to the consulate. Prabhat K. Jain, labor consul, said: “We registered 150 companies seeking Indian workforce, out of which 60 companies came and set up their counters on the consulate premises. We were the first mission to invite local companies to join a recruitment drive in order to help illegal workers who wished to correct their residency and job status. From the beginning of May, hundreds of such people benefited from the drive on a daily basis.” According to Jain, around 150 companies participated in the two job fairs organized by his mission at the consulate and the Indian International School, and about 4,000 workers benefited from them. The Pakistan consulate arranged four job fairs in which around 150 companies seeking Pakistani workforce participated. “A total of 4,000 people registered themselves in these job fairs and many of them benefited,” said a consulate official. The Bangladeshi consulate arranged six job fairs while around 6,000 Egyptians attended four job fairs organized by their consulate. Abdul Nasir, an Indian national who got job in a leading garment company through the job fair, said he had gone to the consulate for correcting his status and found this opportunity. “Now I got a job which is better than my previous one and I can move around with dignity as my iqama status is corrected. My salary is also higher. I am very thankful to these fairs.” Bangladeshi national Malik who found a job through the job fair feels delighted because he expected to be sent back home. Mir Ghazanfar Ali Zaki, a volunteer at the job fairs organized by the Indian consulate, said the consulate staff did a commendable job during the amnesty period by organizing these job fairs. “Our highest appreciation goes to Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, his staff and community leaders, social activists and volunteers for helping organize job fairs and making them huge successes during the amnesty period,” Zaki said. “Consul General Kidwai's silent but dedicated contributions, creative leadership and devotion to extend immense services to the Indian community during the amnesty have won him the hearts of his compatriots in Kingdom. May his unremitting endeavor in the service of the community go on with undiminished vigor. He set a good example of how commitment and hard work pay off,” said Zaki. “I believe that Indians right from the casual laborer to those in managerial positions utilized the job fairs to correct their sponsorship and other related issues.” Many expatriates are grateful and appreciative of their consulates and embassies for helping them correct their status through these job fairs and hope the efforts will continue till the amnesty period ends. “In the coming four months, the Indian consulate can organize more job fairs so that the jobless and runaway workers can use the opportunity to find jobs without being forced back into their country,” added Zaki.
