National Saudi quota affects immigrants

Saudi Arabia, which hosts maximum Indian passport holders outside India, is streamlining its job market, impacting Indians who have be en staying illegally or have improper work visas. Jayanth Jacob reports.

Saudi Arabia, which hosts maximum Indian passport holders outside India, is streamlining its job market, impacting Indians who have be en staying illegally or have improper work visas.

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With Saudi government strictly implementing the nitaqat, (a percentage of jobs reserved for its nationals) many Indians without proper documents may be at the receiving end of the government’s long arm.

“The streamlining will include employees proper contract and wages being paid directly to the bank”, Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Hamid Ali Rao said.

Despite this, the number of Indians in Saudi has touched 2.9 lakh from 2.8 lakh in past two months. According to the latest figures, remittance from Saudi is 8.8 billion US$.