Over 190,000 illegal OFWs now working legally in Saudi – Baldoz

Close to 200,000 overstaying and undocumented OFWs in Saudi Arabia are now working legally there after they rectified their work status in compliance with the Saudization program.

“It looked like a difficult task at first, but we were able to accomplish the feat,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said Wednesday. “In the end, the correction of stay will be very beneficial for them.”

The 196,633 OFWs were able to correct their work status with the help of the Saudi government and employers, Baldoz said.

Many of these OFWs camped outside the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah in the months leading to the Nov. 3, 2013 deadline given by the Saudi Arabia government for illegal migrant workers to correct their status or face deportation.

At present, there are still 450 to 500 OFWs in the Central Region Area seeking repatriation, Baldoz said.

“These OFWs are those who were not able to complete the correction process and are living out of the POLO (Philippine Overseas Labor Office) or Embassy premises and are listed on-call as to when their cases are due for processing at the Jawazat,” she said.

“Iqama”

Baldoz said from  April to  November 2013, a total of 104,364 OFWs in Saudi Arabia successfully corrected their work categories and are now properly issued “iqama” (work permits), “ensuring their continued employment, welfare, and well-being.”

A total of 53,330 OFWs, on the other hand, have been legally transferred for employment under the sponsorship of new employers, while 38,939 left the Kingdom voluntarily on final exit at the expense of their employers/sponsors.

“They are entitled to re-enter KSA on future employment except for those with derogatory records,” Baldoz said.

Under the Saudization policy, which prioritizes the employment of Saudi nationals in the private sector, the Philippine government was able to repatriate 5,094 OFWs.

“Of this number, 2,984 came from Jeddah and the Western Region; 1,936 from Riyadh and the Central Region; and 174 from Al-Khobar and the Eastern Region, with the assistance of the Philippine government,” Baldoz said. — KBK/HS, GMA News

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