Monday, July 23, 2018

RIYADH: The Ministry of Labor and Social Development launched an intensive campaign to ensure that no illegal workers are employed in Makkah and Madinah during the Hajj season on a temporary basis.

To execute the campaign well the department of inspection and development of work environment is taking part in preparations for the Hajj season and will make inspections to track down illegal temporary workers in the two cities.

”The labor inspectors from the department of inspection will check the legality of temporary worker visas issued for the Hajj season at all air, land and sea ports surrounding the Hajj area, including special ports that receive them,” Khaled Abalkhail, a spokesman of the ministry, said Monday.

“The labor inspectors are working to enlist all entities that requested temporary worker visas and prepare a file for each one in order to prepare an effective mechanism for pinpointing violations and launching inspection rounds in the Hajj area, as well as participating in an emergency committee for Hajj,” he added.

The ministry, he said, seeks to control labor violations related to temporary worker visas during the Hajj season by tracking down illegal workers and penalizing employers who fail to comply with the ministry’s regulations.

The Labor Ministry recently launched an electronic service aimed at providing temporary work during the Hajj season via Ajeer portal. It was a move aimed at providing an electronic market that shows the supply and demand for jobs during the Hajj season as the portal brings together owners of companies providing services to the pilgrims in the two holy cities as well as individuals seeking temporary jobs during the Hajj season.

The e-platform allows those establishments operating during the Hajj season to post job opportunities so jobseekers can apply for them and earn temporary permits to work in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah providing various services to the pilgrims.

The e-service allows the jobseekers to register with the portal, upload their bio-data, review available vacancies, apply for suitable posts and manage job requests from employers with the ability to accept the opportunities that most suit them.

The contractual process is followed by endorsement between the Hajj companies and workers seeking temporary employment during the Hajj season.

Significantly, the Labor Ministry last year established a field inspection center to raise awareness and for the effectiveness of the inspection visits using advanced technologies and keep the ministry’s officials updated about inspection rounds and to unify and document procedures undertaken by labor inspectors.

The center is the cornerstone to support inspectors in the field, overcome related obstacles faced by them, answer their inquiries during the task-force campaign and lay out suitable solutions as well.

Abalkhail also urged people to inform officials from the department of inspection in case of labor violations to track down illegal temporary workers.

The labor violations can be reported and individuals can make inquiries dialing the customer service number (19911) or using the smartphone app Ma3an lil Rasd, which allows customers to report violations relating to the labor regulations.

Source: http://www.arabnews.com/node/1344076/saudi-arabia