Saudi extends deadline for undocumented residents
Tuesday, July 2, 2013 MANILA (Updated) -- The Saudi Arabian government has extended to November 3 the grace period for undocumented residents to legalize their status, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday. The implementation of the
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
MANILA (Updated) — The Saudi Arabian government has extended to November 3 the grace period for undocumented residents to legalize their status, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.
The implementation of the Saudization law, which prioritizes the employment of Saudi nationals and allows a crackdown on illegal workers, was set on July 3.
Raul Hernandez, DFA spokesman, said in a press briefing that they received official word from the oil-rich kingdom regarding its decision to grant the extension of the deadline sought by the Philippines and several other nations.
Aside from the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan also have hundreds of illegally staying citizens in Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom is home to more than one million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), a majority of whom have already overstayed their visas. Those who transferred employments are also at the risk of violating the new immigration law passed by the Saudi Arabia government.
The Philippine government has repeatedly asked Saudi to extend the deadline since more than 300 Filipinos are still staying in the camp outside the Philippine mission in Jeddah.
Some 226 women and children are still seeking shelter in the consulate-provided facilities, Hernandez said.
The Philippines, since the Filipinos started camping outside the consulate in Jeddah and the embassy in Riyadh by mid-April, already repatriated some 800 distressed Filipino workers — 412 from Riyadh eastern region and 388 from Jeddah.
On Tuesday, about 25 Filipinos arrived in Manila from Riyadh, while 54 undocumented Filipinos also arrived during the weekend.
Vice President Jejomar Binay thanked Saudi’s King Abdullah “for once again showing his kindness and compassion in allowing the extension.”
Reports said the announcement of the extension was made by the Deputy Labor Minister of Saudi Arabia.
“We also join the appeal to the Saudi government to address the urgent concerns raised by Saudi companies and employers on the need to expedite the processing of documents of affected workers,” Binay said.
“The extension definitely eases the anxieties of thousands of kababayans and their families. Once again, I appeal to our kababayans to utilize this additional time given them to submit all the needed requirements to the Philippine Embassy,” he added.
The Vice President and the Foreign Affairs department said the Philippine missions in Saudi Arabia will continue to process the documents needed by the distressed Filipinos to correct their statuses or repatriate them back to the Philippines. (CVB/Sunnex)
Gebez July 2, 2013
This was after a request by the Ethiopian foreign minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom who is visiting the kingdom. When Tedros was discussing the legal situation of the Ethiopian immigrants there and,he raised the issue to the foreign minister of the kingdom and the later agreed to extend the documentation process for other four months. It seems that the Saudi authorities have made it a generalized measure and have decided to include all immigrants and not just the Ethiopians. Good job.
ab ab July 2, 2013
There seems justice to be any where for people who have governments who represent them. The ethiopian government has done good job for its people also for Eritrean people to extend.now its us to persuade the Saudi government what ever they do they shouldnt report Eritreans becouse of the danger.
For now for the geneun Eritreans its a good news. Well done.
Forto July 2, 2013
it is time for Eritreans in the kingdom to rise up agianst eritrean embassy and the dictorship in eritrea.
josef July 2, 2013
One more time hgdef mendef caught while doing nothing to its citizens who are in big trouble, wait when they get deported and come back to asmara they will ask them if they were paying the 2%.
Said July 2, 2013
it is meaningless. because 4 months is around the corner it is good if you have a passport and a government, on a job the Erirean have nothing none of these. the saudi be knowing t change their mind anytime. we have to calm a better solution, like United Nation passport. or something else. none of these are good for us.
Said July 2, 2013
we raising our in our opinion doesn’t mean that we are different. united against dictator, if you have another solution willing to listen to you. don’t think negative.
sarina July 2, 2013
Atúm hezbi sek elkúm mexefxafdó merixkúm, kesab-measke? bezhi-zereban mefelelayn mexnetina tray heyú.
Said July 2, 2013
correction went to the wrong column.
Kalighe July 2, 2013
The only Embassy that doesn’t care about it’s citizens is the Eritrean. We shouldn’t be surprised if they are not doing anything, because they don’t mind if people are deported and suffer. They are more worried about money they have invested in markets of the Kingdom in partnership with trusted members. The Embassy collects 2%, spies on it’s citizens (engaged in a lot of profiling, there is also someone who keeps a good eye on Embassy staff), looks after PFDJ’s illegal businesses, and a little consular service.
Eritrea Super Power July 2, 2013
Some might say these Eritrean refugees must be related to the 29 yrs old american leaker ,who escapes from usa and asks asylum in russia, likewise our Eritrea people left eritrea for Saudi to look for freedom ? wey gud belet Hatney bahtu.
In eritrea you steal they make you pfdj ,in saudi you steal they chop your stealing hand.
the american leaker should request asylum in ethiopia saying his mom is eritrean, they might even make him P.M (Prime Minister)
weygud July 3, 2013
You foolish commentators, how come on earth you expect the Eritrean regime to defend for its citizens? Let alone these people who have some freedom of movement, those heroes are now languishing in prison in djibouti are betrayed.
Forto July 3, 2013
let us be a voice for our brothers and sisters in the kingdom because they are voice-less. Let us find a solution together, before it is to late, and please we need to stop saying we have a government, because we have not had a decent one.