The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRD) has announced eight conditions for the eligibility of expat workers to transfer job without their current employer’s consent as per the new labor reforms announced by the ministry recently.
The new initiative is part of the ministry’s plan to abolish the sponsorship system for foreign workers, in its efforts to improve the contractual relationship between expat workers and employers.
The ministry said that the transfer service does not incur any extra fees other than what is in effect at present and that it will not affect the status of issued visas, which will be in compliance with the process that is currently in force.
Following are the eight conditions for expat workers eligibility to benefit from the job transfer without employer’s consent:
1. Absence of a documented work contract with the current employer within three months of a worker’s arrival in the Kingdom.
2. If an employer fails to pay the worker’s wages for three consecutive months.
3. In case of the employer’s absence because of travel, imprisonment, death or any other reason.
4. Expiry of worker’s residency permit or work permit.
5. If an expat lodges a complaint about employer’s involvement in business licensing fraud (tasattur), provided that the worker is not involved in tasattur.
6. If a worker has evidence that his employer is involved in human trafficking.
7. If there is a labor dispute between a worker and his current employer, and the employer or his representative failed to attend two sessions of litigation despite being notified of the hearing dates or failing to attend two sessions for amicable settlement of disputes
8. If the current employer has mentioned that he wants the worker to leave.
