Cairo: An expatriate worker in Saudi Arabia has up to 60 days to transfer to another employer or depart the country on a final exit visa, starting from the day they stop reporting to their original job, labour authorities have said.
If no procedures are taken during the specified period, the worker's status will change to "absent from work," and an absenteeism report against them will not be revoked, the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources added.
Saudi Arabia is home to a large community of expatriate workers.
Saudi authorities have mandated that employers ensure their expatriate workers with a final exit visa leave the kingdom. The Saudi General Directorate of Passports has emphasised the employer's responsibility for following up on the expatriate's departure once a final exit visa is issued.
The employer's responsibility is not limited to obtaining this visa. If the employer fails to ascertain the employee's whereabouts in the kingdom after the issuance of a final exit visa, they must apply for cancellation of the visa and file an absence report with the authorities.
Labour reforms
In recent years, the kingdom has introduced labour reforms to make its job market more attractive and competitive. The Saudi government has recently approved a range of substantial labour changes to preserve contractual rights.
Accordingly, a notice for terminating an employment contract of non-specific duration is now set at 30 days if the notice comes from the worker, and 60 days if it comes from the employer.
The changes also obligate the employer to avoid actions that could undermine or weaken the principle of equal opportunities among workers.
Maternity leave has increased from 10 weeks to 12 weeks. Another amendment sets the maximum duration of trial employment at 180 days.
In 2020, Saudi Arabia introduced major labour reforms, drastically improving its sponsorship system. The reforms, which took effect the following year, allow for job mobility and regulate the issuance of exit and re-entry visas for expatriate workers without requiring employers' approval.
Saudi Arabia has made it mandatory for employers to cover the return ticket costs for workers at the end of their contractual relationship.
