Thousands of Indians are set to return from Saudi Arabia after the country implemented a tough law Nitaqat that seeks to replace the migrants in the companies with its own citizens.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said that Indian government was in touch with Saudi authorities to bring back over 75000 Indians working at private sectors in Saudi Arabia by July 3.
According to the ‘Nitaqat’ law, it is mandatory for the companies to hire one Saudi national for every 10 foreign workers. It suggested that a company will hire a minimum number of local people before employing migrants.
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The migrants those who have failed to find another job or a sponsor have to go back. Under this strict law, people who were working without valid VISA, will come under scanner or they may face arrest or they may be penalised if they will not leave the country by July 3, the deadline.
As per the law, the Saudi authorities have started to identify the illegal workers to send them back.
Khurshid, who is on his way to Saudi Arabia, said that he will take up the issue with his counterpart Prince Saud Al Faisal. His trip is considered as the first bilateral visit to the country in five years.
As per official data, out of total 56,734 processed applications, 21, 331 people are from Uttar Pradesh and 3,610 belong to Kerala. As of May 20, a total of 75,000 Indians have registered with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah to leave the country. There are nearly three million Indians in Saudi Arabia.