Manama: Saudi Arabia will resume issuing working visas to Filipino domestic helpers next month, the assistant minister of foreign affairs has said.
The Saudi embassy in Manila and the joined technical committees from both countries have reached a bilateral agreement on the issue, Prince Khalid Bin Saud Bin Khalid said, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The accord amends the employment contracts, the required documents and attestations, and the endorsement procedures in a way that does not clash with the laws and regulations of the kingdom and does not affect the rights and privacy of Saudi citizens, the official said on Tuesday.
Prince Khalid said that the foreign ministry was working closely with the labour ministry to ease the recruitment visa procedures while preserving the rights of both the Saudi employer and the expatriate employee.
In Manila, the Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Abdullah Al Hassan told a local daily that “in a month’s time, all Filipinos who wish to be employed as domestic workers can secure a working visa to Saudi.”
“There is no problem concerning the resumption of the opening of working visa for household workers,” Al Hassan told reporters on the sideline of the 82nd National Day of Saudi Arabia. “Recently I was able to meet with the secretary of labour of the Republic of the Philippines and we were able to resolve all issues relevant to the resumption of working visa for household workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Al Hassan was quoted as saying by Manila Standard Today.
Riyadh in June 2011 suspended the processing of employment contracts of Filipinos following a disagreement with Manila over wages.
The Philippines wanted a $400 (Dh1,468) monthly salary, but Saudi Arabia thought that the request was too high and reportedly suggested a $200 monthly in minimum pay
Officials from the two countries have worked on a compromise for almost a year.
The breakthrough was welcomed by Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“Definitely, this will be good news for all of our overseas Filipino workers,” Binay said, quoted by Manila Standard Today. “Actually we have worked on that matter for almost a year. Give us some time to prepare for what we are going to announce but definitely this will be good news for all of our overseas Filipino workers,” he said.
The Saudi ambassador said that an arrangement would be made before Riyadh could resume issuing visas.
“Both sides have to make arrangements for the resumption of issuing working visas for household workers, and we expect that it will not take a longer time than a month’s time,” he said.
Around 1.2 million Filipinos work in Saudi Arabia, home to 19 million Saudi nationals and eight million foreigners.
