Saudi Laws Update

Foreign mothers of Saudis; children of Saudi women to be counted in Saudization Saudi Gazette report  October 22, 2017 \ RIYADH – Hiring foreigners who are mothers of Saudi men and women as well as children of Saudi women will be allowed in those professions which are restricted only to Saudis. Minister of Labor and Social Development Dr. Ali Al-Ghafis issued an order in this regard, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. Employing anyone in this category will be counted as one Saudi employee while calculating the percentage of Nitaqat Saudization program. “All the previous ministry decisions that are contrary to this order will be deemed null and void,” the minister said while adding that the new order has come into force from the time of its issuance. Both Saudis and expatriates welcomed the decision. Mohammad Al-Owain, a media person, described it a “right decision.” This decision offers a decent life to those families which have been living in the Kingdom for decades years,...

Jail and fine for employer if allowed expat to work for personal benefit October 04, 2021 Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) clarified that the Saudi employer, who allows his expatriate worker to engage in jobs for their own personal benefit or in return for a sum of money will be punished with a maximum jail term of three months and fines amounting to SR50000. According to the Jawazat sources, the employer, who committed this violation for the first time, will be awarded with one-month jail term and SR5000 in fine. In the event of repeating the same crime, the penalties include imprisonment for two months and a fine of SR20,000, whereas for the third time violation, the employer will have to face three months in prison and fines amounting to SR50,000. In all cases, the fine will be multiplied with the number of workers whom the employer allowed to engage in jobs for their own personal benefit in violation of the regulations of the Labor Law, t...