Anxiety gripped the families of thousands of ‘illegal’ Indian migrants in Saudi Arabia on Monday as searches began in the desert kingdom for foreign workers staying and working illegally after the period of relaxation — given for legalising stay and work permits under the Nitaqat norms meant for Saudization of the employment sector — ended on Sunday.
The termination of the relaxation period has forced thousands of Indian workers to go into hiding as joint searches for illegal residents started by the Saudi Home, labour and Passport departments on the streets and at workplaces at 8.00 am on Monday, as per reports reaching from Riyadh, Jiddah and other cities.
Over one hundred Keralites returned from Saudi Arabia to the State through its three international airports on Sunday and Monday and returnees said thousands were waiting at their houses, hideouts and near the deportation centres waiting for their turn to return. The coming days could return thicker inflow of returnees, they said.
Nitaqat, the Saudization programme, by which a minimum of ten per cent of the total employees in every company should be Saudi nationals and no migrant would be allowed to stay in that country without proper papers or work without proper sponsorship, was to come into existence since April last.
However, the Saudi King had announced a six-month grace period for the migrants to get their papers in order, to re-enroll under their original sponsors and for companies to comply with the Nitaqat norm of employing the required number of Saudi nationals following pressure from foreign missions and native contractors who relied heavily on migrant workers for projects.
According to the estimates of the Saudi Government, over a million foreign migrants have left that country since the start of Nitaqat relaxation. About four million workers had got themselves legalised for stay and work in that country. It is said that about 12 lakh Indians have legalised their status during the interval, according to Indian authorities.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has informed that over 75,000 Indians have left Saudi Arabia since April. According to its figures, 77,000 Indians have been allotted out-passes for leaving the desert kingdom and 95 per cent of them have been given the final exit
permission, according to sources in Riyadh.
However, those working for the welfare of Keralites in Gulf countries say that there is a huge difference between the official number of illegal Indian migrant workers who had left Saudi Arabia and the number of those who have reached India. This suggested that many who had applied for or got out-passes had not been able to return, sources said.
According to Saudi authorities, illegal migrant workers who would be staying on in the desert kingdom after the expiry of the relaxation period would be punishable with imprisonment of up to two years and fine. Those who have already started the process for legalizing their stay and work could be exempted from this, it is said.
Reports also said that those who would be caught within the next one week would be allowed to leave Saudi Arabia. For the time being, the police searches are reportedly limited to work places and streets. However, families of Keralites illegally residing in Saudi Arabia say that there is still confusion in all these reports.
“The Indian Embassy may have its estimates but the fact is that there is no clear information on what will happen to those who are yet to return,” said Sherly, wife of Joseph who had gone to Riyadh in January.