5,000 Indian expats in Saudi Arabia get new jobs

Dubai, Jun 19 (IANS): Around 5,000 expatriate Indians in Saudi Arabia, affected by a new labour policy in the Gulf nation, have found new jobs, the Indian consul general in Jeddah said.

Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said the consulate's various pro-active measures have helped these Indians rectify their residency status and get new jobs, Arab News reported Wednesday.

Indian expatriates were badly hit by the new Nitaqat or Saudisation policy that makes it mandatory for all Saudi companies to reserve 10 percent of jobs for Saudi nationals.

The Saudi government had announced a grace period for expatriate workers to either rectify their residency status to get new sponsors and jobs or leave the country.

The grace period will expire July 3.

Kidwai said the consulate helped eligible Indians find employment by allowing potential employers interview suitable candidates within the consulate premises.

The job profiles ranged from labourers or blue collar workers to engineers.

The consul general said that Indians who had been declared "absconders" by their sponsors or those who fell under the red Nitaqat zone - those banned from changing profession - and even those who had not been able to renew their iqamas or local identity cards issued to expatriate workers with their current sponsors are finding suitable jobs rectifying their residency status.

The consulate will also hold job fairs June 20 and June 27.