King decrees extension of Grace period – Deadline extended to end of Hijri Year

King Abdullah

 

The Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has decreed today the extension of grace period to rectify the status of expatriate workers as per royal order stated by Ministry of Interior and published by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) .

The extension given till the end of this Hijri year which corresponds to 4th November, 2013. After that, the inspections and arrests will start.

The translation of the text of Kings decree is as follows:

With reference to the royal order allowing for workers who violated the labor and iqama laws a period of three months starting from 25/5/1434H to correct their status, and based on the recommendations of ministries (Foreign Affairs, Labor, and Interior) regarding full cooperation and quick response of citizens and residents, and in view of the full cooperation of concerned Embassies and Consulates to provide the required documentation and their requests due to the pressure on their missions, and as a result of the large number of those who are seeking correction of their status who need more time, and in order to make it easer on citizens and residents who have taken the correction period seriously, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdul bin Abdul Aziz Al-­Saud has ordered the extension of the correction period until the end of the current Hejira year 1434.
” The appropriate inspections will resume in various regions of the Kingdom starting from the first of Muharram 1435H and all penalties will apply on violators.
“The Ministries of Interior and Labor urge all concerned to work on the requirements to correct their status as soon as possible and within the period mentioned, and whoever will not respond will be subject to maximum penalties in accordance with regulations,” the royal order said.

The new concessions will also give the right to family members of a legally resident expatriate to work if they are 18 years or older, provided the family member has already spent two years or more with his or her family, the ministry said.