Riyadh:
Indians planning to apply for a work visa for Saudi Arabia will now have to undergo preliminary verification of their professional and educational qualifications. The Saudi Mission in India said in a circular that professional verification procedures for the issuance of work visas will be implemented from January 14.
“The professional verification will become one of the mandatory requirements for the issuance of work visas,” the circular said, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
The move mandating the requirement for prior verification was proposed six months ago as a strategy to control the number of incoming Indian workers, given the limited capacity of qualified training centers in the country, and maintain quality standards.
It aims to facilitate easier access to Saudi Arabia's labor market and improve employee retention. It also expects to streamline the recruitment process and improve the quality of the kingdom's workforce.
Under the new rules, establishment owners and HR departments are encouraged to verify the certificates and information provided by foreign workers.
In addition, Saudi Arabia has also updated the rules for expats regarding extensions of exit and return visas and the extension of Iqamas (residence permits).
The Directorate General of Passports in Saudi Arabia announced on X (formerly Twitter) that expats, including those currently outside the kingdom, can now renew their Iqamas.
Indian in Saudi Arabia
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Indians are the second largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia after Bangladesh, which tops the list with 2.69 million expat workers.
As of 2024, it is reported that more than 2.4 million Indian workers live in Saudi Arabia, of which 1.64 million work in the private sector and 785,000 work in domestic work.
Indian workers are a crucial part of Saudi Arabia's labor market. However, there is a widespread complaint that there are not enough testing centers for applicants to get verified.
“For example, motorist testing centers have been established in Ajmer and Sikar in Rajasthan. Applicants, especially those from the South, are forced to travel long distances to these locations, facing both linguistic and logistical challenges,” TNIE quotes Haris Beeran report. a member of Rajya Sabha, as stated.
Furthermore, under its 2030 vision, the kingdom aims to raise recruitment standards and attract skilled expat talent, which would raise recruitment standards.