Saudi Arabia: Employers to face jail, SR100,000 fine for allowing workers to take outside jobs

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has warned individual employers that allowing their workers to take jobs with others or work for their own account could result in imprisonment, a fine of up to SR100,000 and a lengthy ban on recruiting new workers.

The ministry said employers found in violation could face up to six months in prison, in addition to being barred from recruiting workers for as long as five years.

The warning is part of the authorities’ enforcement of the Kingdom’s residency, labour and border security regulations, which restrict workers from taking employment outside the arrangements under which they were legally recruited.

The ministry called on employers and workers to comply fully with the regulations and urged members of the public to report violations.

Reports can be made by calling 911 in Mecca, Medina, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 999 in the rest of Saudi Arabia.