No ban on OFWs returning to jobs in Saudi Arabia

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine embassy in Riyadh said yesterday there is no ban on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who wish to return to their jobs in Saudi Arabia.

In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the embassy reiterated the recent announcement of the Saudi Ministry of Labor spokesman Hattab al–Hanzi that the ban on the issuance of work visas for domestic workers from the Philippines, effective July 2, applies only to new work visas.

It does not cover the household service workers with valid work visas who are already in Saudi Arabia or whose iqamas (residence permits) are up for renewal or those going on vacation. They can continue to work with their present employers.

This was confirmed by Saudi Assistant Deputy Minister of Labor Hashim Rajeh in a recent informal meeting with Labor Attaché Albert Valenciano.

The embassy also called attention to unconfirmed stories about vacationing workers who reportedly encountered problems at the immigration counter at the Riyadh International Airport.

“Allegedly, the immigration officer at the airport stamped ‘exit only’ on the respective exit/re-entry visas of the workers. As a result of these stories, OFWs are now having second thoughts of going on vacation for fear that they may not be able to return to Saudi Arabia,” the embassy said.

Earlier, Mohammad al-Hussein, spokesman for the Passport Department (Jawasat) in Makkah province, denied this. “If it is an exit/re-entry visa then it cannot be changed at the airports. The final exit is stamped only after a series of steps are taken by both the employee and the employer,” he said.

The series of steps being referred to are the issuance of a release letter or no objection certificate (NOC) from the employer stating that it is allowing the worker to go home. The employee has to sign a final settlement in which he acknowledges that he has received all his monetary claims from the employer.

These documents are the basis for the issuance by the Jawasat of the final exit visa to the worker. Before the final exit visa is issued, Jawasat also checks whether the worker has any pending police case, traffic violation or bank loan. It is also required that no vehicle should be registered in the worker’s name at the time of final departure.

The embassy advised vacationing workers to be in contact with their employers should they encounter similar problems at Saudi airports and report the matter to the embassy so that it could take appropriate action.

Workers who are already in the Philippines on vacation can get in touch with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to document their case and bring the matter to the attention of the Saudi embassy.