TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has extended the amnesty for foreign workers to obtain legal status in the country until November 3, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Tuesday. Initially, the Saudi government set the deadline on July 3.
Earlier this year, the Saudi government started to inspect streets and offices and sanctioned workers who violated the regulations of their work visa. Thousands were deported, or decided to leave the country under that pressure. The deportations raised concern on possible economic impact.
The government then announced amnesty, where workers would be forgiven any fees or fines for visa violations, such as overstaying or switching jobs. Authorities will resume to sanction illegal workers after the amnesty period is over.
REUTERS | ABDUL MANAN