Saudi OFWs Warned Against Nitaqat Rumors

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Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdom have been told by their foreign mission here not to be deceived by rumors and misleading media reports regarding the implementation of Nitaqat, the new Saudization, or nationalization, scheme being implemented by the government.

The Philippine embassy said that emails being circulated within the Filipino community and press releases being churned out by a group acting as advocates for migrant workers are “giving the impression that the authorities of Saudi Arabia, in pursuit of Nitaqat, have taken to marking the visas of foreign workers exit only, when previously the visas were exit-re-entry visas.”

“Saudi authorities are revising their rules to apply a six-year rule for foreign workers in companies that fail to meet nationalization targets. The revised rules, however, will not affect final exit regulations as they exist,” the embassy stated in its advisory to the Filipino community in the Kingdom. As announced by Minister of Labor Adel Fakieh, the Nitaqat scheme plans to limit residency of foreign workers to six years as part of a package of reforms to implement existing Saudization rules.

The Saudi Ministry of Labor has categorized private sector companies covered by Nitaqat into blue, green, yellow and red zones. Companies in the blue and green zones are those that comply with the Saudization quotas. These companies will be given benefits and incentives from September 10 for their efforts in employing more Saudis.

Continue reading at Saudi Gazette

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