Businessmen and foreign workers said they are pinning hope on the possible announcement by the Saudi government before the advent of Ramadan about the extension of July 3 amnesty deadline.
Foreign governments have also requested the Saudi government either to extend the deadline or declare a new three-month amnesty in the beginning of next Hijrah year to help more expatriate workers correct their labour status.
Mohammad Tayeb, director general of Foreign Ministry’s office in Makkah, confirmed that foreign countries had requested an extension. “The concerned department will study the matter carefully to take an appropriate decision on this,” he told the Arab News.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, during her visit, requested the Saudi authorities to increase amnesty and legalise Bangladeshi workers in the country.
A senior labour ministry official of Saudi Arabia said only King Abdullah could extend the deadline.
“We welcome the calls for extension of the deadline, but no one except King Abdullah can take the decision about the matter,” said Abdul Monem Al-Shahri, director of Labour Office in Jeddah.
“We’ll present these proposals to the concerned authorities and continue our services to those foreigners who want to correct their status before the deadline,” he added.
Thousands of expatriates as well as businessmen pin their hopes on a new royal decree.
“We look forward to the magnanimity of King Abdullah to extend the deadline. He is well known for his humanitarian gestures,” said Abubacker Abdul Rahman, a business consultant.
With hardly two weeks left for the three-month grace period to end, the fate of thousands of expatriates who are not in possession of their iqamas hangs in the balance. Worse is to follow for those expatriates who not only lack for their iqamas but also don’t have their passports with them.
It is mandatory for illegal workers to give at least their iqama numbers to the Saudi passport authorities to facilitate their exits from the Kingdom or rectify their job status.
A common practice for sponsors in Saudi remote villages is not to hand over iqamas to their employees like drivers, farm workers and shepherds, only to prevent them from running away. In several cases, the sponsors do not even apply for iqamas for their employees once they land in Saudi Arabia. Such expats do not have any documents, and at times like this, they are the worst hit.
Security and passport inspection authorities also do not insist on seeing the iqama once the employee reveals the name of his employer or sponsor.
Thousands of expatriate workers being in such a sticky patch are just paying visits to their respective diplomatic missions and deportation centres with the hope that someone will come to their rescue.