Mahmoud Ahmad

It was really saddening to see the state of panic and fear psychosis prevailing in the major cities of the Kingdom with the rumor mills working overtime leaving many of the expatriates living in the Kingdom in a state of uncertainty and fright.



The fright of these expatriates was in a heightened state when the recent campaign targeting foreign labor not working with their sponsors started. This fear forced many people to stay at home. Believe you me, the feeling of being hunted or targeted is not a good feeling.



In addition to forcing a section of the expatriates indoors, or into hiding, many businesses were directly hit with those running cover businesses or just running joint ventures with locals too took cover from the concerted sweep that was to rid Saudi Arabia of unemployment.



But the effect was in reverse with many Saudi businesses being affected as the expatriates, who were in violation of labor laws, were in positions that were directly linked to these businesses. And they were gone — literally failing to turn up for work.



In addition, many expatriate workers, who were fronting businesses or managing them for their sleeping partners, were forced to shut down their shops because of the rumors that they would be arrested and deported immediately.



The campaign in general is good for both expatriate and businesses if it was conducted in a better manner. No one will disagree that the status of expatriate workers in any company should be legalized — meaning the workers need to be under the company’s sponsorship — which is within the country's right.



But how did we get into this situation in the first place, with workers not having regular documents that are synchronized with their sponsors and their roles in the firms.



The sponsorship issue is the root of this problem. And the Saudi sponsors have given in to the lure of the lucre without realizing the consequences. They sell visas to these expatriates and bring them to this country. These expatriate workers are sent on to the streets and asked to find any job and transfer part of their earnings every month to the ‘sponsor.’



It was us who started this problem not the expatriates. But they did avail the opportunity to enter the country legally, but without a job. They then took any jobs available and created a glut in the market that not only offered reasonably cheap labor, but skilled one at that. This opportunism has landed them in this spot. So neither is clear of the blame.



What upset me about this campaign is the way many Saudis viewed it. They were saying it was about time to send these expatriates back home and make room for Saudis in the job market. I still do not know what is the link between the existence of expatriates and jobless Saudis.



I have said before and I will say it now, expatriates are our best advocates and this is not the way they should be treated. Expatriates have contributed a lot to the development of this country and to hunt them down through these campaigns like criminals is something I feel is not the right thing to do and many Saudis too were saddened by it.



The media campaign that accompanied this raid in companies and shops projected them as criminals and justice was finally meted to them. As a result of this campaign, rumors of iqamas (residence permits) being cut in half started. Many were scared that they would be caught even if they weare visiting a city or browsing through a shop because their iqama and that particular sponsor or the city may not match and their residence permit would then be destroyed and they deported.



Though responsible authorities denied this action by officials but they were late in denying the rumors. News and rumors on raids in school also frightened many expatriate teachers, who decided to stay at home. These expat teachers were in effect on their husband’s sponsorship and as housewives could not work according to labor laws. Many students were sent back home because these teachers were afraid to come in, and students got additional holidays for many days. Again officials denied the rumors of school raids.



Before starting the campaign, the Labor Ministry should have had an awareness campaign first to warn all those working in companies with different sponsorships to correct their situation instead of doing it this way. The campaign should have targeted the Saudi sponsors in the first place instead of the poor working expatriates. The government should have asked the question why these expatriates are working in a company in Jeddah when the sponsor is in Dammam? Why that worker is working in Jazan when his sponsor is in Riyadh?



There are many Saudi sponsors who are abusing the system and recruiting workers only to push them in the job market asking them to work and transfer certain amount every month or every year depending on the agreement. If that is not slavery then what is?



Many Saudi sponsors resort to even blackmailing the expatriate workers. If an expatriate worker wanted to transfer sponsorship to a different person or company, then he needs to pay a huge amount for the sponsorship to be transferred; the amount could reach up to SR12,000 per person. To me that is an amount to be paid to win freedom. Last time I saw something similar to this was in a movie where a black person was trying to buy his freedom from the white master. In Islam it is called “Suht”, which is ill-gotten property (or earning).



A Pakistani friend of mine called me the other day complaining that his Saudi sponsor demanded SR700 a month. He used to pay SR400 a month. My friend is working in Madinah when his Saudi sponsor is in Riyadh. And as per the initial deal it was to be SR400 per month. But the sponsor felt that it was his just due to ask for SR700 per month. My expatriate friend was angry, saying it was unfair.



It’s high time that we realized that the expatriates’ dignity is our dignity. The more they are insulted the more we are insulting ourselves. In this campaign we should help the expatriates who are working in companies under different sponsorships to help them transfer to the companies they want to. The Saudi sponsor should be forced to agree to the transfer without the expatriate paying any additional amount, expect the amount paid by the Saudi sponsor to bring him to the Kingdom.



It is no fault of the expatriates that they find themselves in this pickle, for most were forced into this bond. If the sponsorship transfer is made easy then we will not find ourselves in these situations. If the expatriate worker decides not to transfer his sponsorship, then he will be forced by law to work for the sponsor or leave the country. But if the sponsor keeps him on and uses him as a marketable commodity then he should face government fines or even major penalties.

— The writer can be reached at mahmad@saudigazette.com.sa.