The Ministries of Labor and Interior has announced that, the Haj and Umrah overstayers who arrived in the country before July 3, 2008, can work for private companies or as domestic workers. As part of its major concessions, the ministries have also declared that the illegal workers will be allowed to leave Saudi Arabia during the three-month grace period, who have violated the residence and labor regulations, without paying any fines. The Huroob or runaway workers will also be allowed to get back to their current sponsors or transfer to another.
Those who have stayed on in the country after the expiry of their residency and labor permits will be allowed to rectify their status. The Huroob, can either take the permission of the current sponsor or transfer to another sponsor without his permission. And, if at all, a dispute arises between such a worker and his previous sponsor, special legal departments will solve it.
A joint statement said that, inspection campaigns will resume soon after the deadline to enforce labor and immigration laws on both employers and employees.