By Irfan Mohammed
Saudi Gazette
Jeddah — Nearly a month is left before the end of the three-month grace period given to illegal expats to leave the Kingdom without any fines or facing any penalties as part of “A nation without violator” campaign. The authorities have drawn up plans for daily combing operations to nab illegal workers after the end of amnesty.
The Ministry of Interior will monitor and review on a daily basis the combing operation, according to Maj. Gen. Jamaan Al-Ghamdi, assistant director for security affairs in Public Security at the Ministry of Interior who is also the chairman of the supreme committee for campaign to curb violators.
He said security forces will intensify field inspections.
He also reviewed operational plans with senior police officials.
Maj. Gen. Al-Ghamdi is also meeting prominent citizens and businessmen urging them to comply with residency and work laws.
However, the number of undocumented expats lining up in front of foreign missions to benefit from the amnesty is much less as compared to that of the last amnesty announced in 2013.
The reason is: There are less number of undocumented residents now as compared to 2013 as a result of constant measures by authorities.
Makkah region was having the highest number of visa violators. More than 50 percent of total violators who benefited from the amnesty in 2013 were from Makkah region.
Foreign diplomatic missions are witnessing less crowd.
The Expatriate Affairs Division in the Passport Department (Jawazat) at Shumaisy deportation center is also receiving less number of illegal expats as compare to that of the past amnesty.
A quarter million of illegal expatriates came forward to benefit from the amnesty till last week, when the authorities made the figures public.
A total of 224,637 illegal expatriates came forward to leave the Kingdom and 49,000 of them have already left for their home countries, according to Ministry of Interior figures.
