Manama: Manama: Expat workers in Saudi Arabia are now able to change jobs and leave the country without an employer's consent according to the newly implemented labour reforms.
The government eased some of the contractual restrictions in the “Kafala” sponsorship system, which gave employers control over migrant workers.
The Kafala system previously tied workers to a single employer, who is responsible for the employees’ residency and work status including exit and entry.
According to reports the new reforms, which went into effect on Sunday, will pave way for an attractive labor market and improve the working environment.
In November last year, Saudi Ministry of human resources announced the labour reform initiative that would apply to all expats employed in the private sector from March 2021 with a goal to improve the Kafala system.
Under the revised system, migrant workers will no longer be required to obtain their employers' consent to leave or switch jobs upon the expiry of their work contract.
They will also be able to transfer jobs during the validity of their contract provided they notify their employers within a set timeframe.
Workers will be allowed to travel outside the kingdom without their employer's approval, but an online notification to be sent to the employer.
The revised ‘final exit’ proviso will allow a foreign worker to leave after the end of his contract, without the permission of their employers.
Migrant workers will also be able to apply directly for government services, and their contracts with their employers will be documented digitally.
Provisions are also being made for workers who are not offered work contracts or have not been paid their salaries, authorities said.
Unveiling the plan at a press conference in Riyadh on November 6 last year, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for human resources said the changes to the system aim to build an attractive labour market and improve the working environment.
Kafala systems emerged in the 1950s when the GCC countries began hiring migrant workers at a rapid pace to boost development following the discovery of oil. This system is also practiced in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE. Several Gulf countries have enacted reforms to their Kafala system, in recent years.
