In this file photo, illegal residents in police custody in Jazan. (SPA)

Nearly 175,000 expatriate workers have been arrested in the past one month in a joint campaign launched by the Ministries of Labor and Interior to track down residency and labor law violators.

“We have arrested them for committing different violations,” an official statement said. The reasons include working for companies and individuals other than sponsors, not carrying valid residency permits and entering the Kingdom illegally.

The two ministries reiterated that they would continue inspection campaign in all parts of the Kingdom with new mechanisms that stipulate the implementation of all rules and regulations against violators of the country’s law.

The Interior Ministry said people who employ intruders would be fined up to SR100,000, adding that such companies and individuals would be barred from recruiting employees for five years.

“The punishment also includes naming the company’s director and imprisonment for two years,” it added.

Private companies that employ illegal expats or allow their employees to either work for own accounts or for other firms or individuals will also face stiff punishment, the statement said, adding that such violators would be fined up to SR100,000 and prevented from recruiting expatriates for five years.

The director of the firm faces defamation and imprisonment while the expat director would be deported. The campaign will also deal with Haj and Umrah companies that do not report delayed departure of their pilgrims, the statement said, adding that fines for this violation could reach SR100,000.

Fines against citizens and residents for this violation could reach SR100,000 and prevention from recruiting expatriates for a period of five years in addition to six-month imprisonment.

Punishments will also cover those who transport or employ infiltrators or violators, harbor them or offer them any help, the statement warned.

The two ministries urged all companies and individuals to notify relevant authorities as soon as the residency permits of their workers are over. Violators of this law will be fined SR50,000 and face six-month imprisonment.

The Ministries of Labor and Interior called on all citizens and residents to follow the Kingdom’s residency and labor rules and report violators.

Meanwhile, the Passport Department said it took action in 4,345 cases last month, including detention of 178 citizens and 2,149 expatriates. “The department has deported 2,585 expatriates while total fines imposed on expats and Saudis amounted to SR45.5 million,” said Maj. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya, director general of the Passport Department.

“We have also confiscated 112 vehicles that were used to transport illegal expats,” he pointed out.

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