Riyadh:The exodus of many Indians from Saudi Arabia has begun, prompted by the terrifying prospect of being unemployed in the foreseeable future.
These fears have been sparked off by the “Nitaqat”, a labour reform by the Saudi government to curb unemployment among Saudi nationals, which mandates private-sector companies to reserve a percentage of jobs for Saudi nationals. This has plunged many Indians into despair, as they face insurmountable challenges with regard to continuing their stay there or returning to India.
However, the Indian Minister for Overseas Affairs, Vayalar Ravi, has stepped in to provide aid to Indians there. This follows his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, with a delegation, to assess the plight of Indian employees in Saudi Arabia.
The outcome of this visit was a meeting with the Saudi officials to find solutions to the impending problem without compromising the Saudi labour reform. Thus, the Joint Working Group was formed, a measure to solve the problems Indians face and to increase the clarity of Saudi labour laws. Mr. Ravi was also instrumental in persuading the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia to ease the financial burden on anxious Indians applying for “Emergency Certificates”.
