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Saudi government postpones plan to limit expat workers to seven years
| Published: | 27 Jan at 6 PM |
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Saudi businesses and long-term expat employees have welcomed the Saudi labour ministry’s decision to postpone the introduction of a proposal which would limit work visas to seven years.
The recently mooted draft proposal was doubly unwelcome to expats working in the kingdom as it was also aimed at forbidding the families of expat workers from joining them. Deputy labour minister Ahmed al-Humaidan told the press that the measures were being postponed in order to study their implications more thoroughly.
President of the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Rahman al Zamil thanked the ministry for taking the important decision to delay the introduction of the proposal. He added that all Saudi chambers and business owners had opposed the scheme, saying that its introduction would destroy the kingdom.
According to Al Zamil, officials had put forward the proposal without giving a thought to its effect on the economy or the requirements and reality of doing business in Saudi Arabia. One major concern, he said, was that it would negatively impact foreign investment in the kingdom.
Al Zamil added that the discouraging of expats who wish to bring their families to join them goes against Saudi’s traditions and values, saying that it would be impossible to order expats with several year’ employment in the kingdom to send them back to their home countries.He also considered that it would prevent much-needed executive talent from choosing Saudi Arabia as a place to work.
Businessmen and chamber members want the scheme to be cancelled rather than just postponed, as they believe it would increase inflation and the cost of services and result in a non- competitive market. However, a spokesperson from the Labour Ministry insisted that the matter would be further discussed before a final decision was made.
The recently mooted draft proposal was doubly unwelcome to expats working in the kingdom as it was also aimed at forbidding the families of expat workers from joining them. Deputy labour minister Ahmed al-Humaidan told the press that the measures were being postponed in order to study their implications more thoroughly.
President of the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Rahman al Zamil thanked the ministry for taking the important decision to delay the introduction of the proposal. He added that all Saudi chambers and business owners had opposed the scheme, saying that its introduction would destroy the kingdom.
According to Al Zamil, officials had put forward the proposal without giving a thought to its effect on the economy or the requirements and reality of doing business in Saudi Arabia. One major concern, he said, was that it would negatively impact foreign investment in the kingdom.
Al Zamil added that the discouraging of expats who wish to bring their families to join them goes against Saudi’s traditions and values, saying that it would be impossible to order expats with several year’ employment in the kingdom to send them back to their home countries.He also considered that it would prevent much-needed executive talent from choosing Saudi Arabia as a place to work.
Businessmen and chamber members want the scheme to be cancelled rather than just postponed, as they believe it would increase inflation and the cost of services and result in a non- competitive market. However, a spokesperson from the Labour Ministry insisted that the matter would be further discussed before a final decision was made.
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