1he lorelgn Labor Sponsorshlp rogram and lLs Abuses

ll 1he lorelgn Labor Sponsorshlp rogram and lLs

Abuses
1hey sald LhaL my conLracL from Lhe hlllpplnes was
noL valld and l had Lo slgn anoLher plece of paper ln
Arablc"

SeamsLress who worked ln Medlna and reLurned home
ln 2003

1he labor law ln Saudl Arabla ln effecL slnce 1969
requlres every forelgn worker Lo be under conLracL
wlLh and guaranLeed by a sponsor (kafeel ln
Arablc)36 We do noL have lmmlgranL workers buL
workers by conLracL" ls Lhe way Saudl Arabla's
LhenmlnlsLer of labor and soclal affalrs ur All
alnamlah explalned Lhe sysLem37 Cne of Lhe
longsLandlng problems wlLh Lhls sysLem ls LhaL legal
sponsors are noL necessarlly Lhe de facLo employers of
forelgn workers parLlcularly Lhose ln Lhe
lowesLpaylng [ob caLegorles AnoLher ls Lhe apparenL
ease wlLh whlch some Saudl clLlzens have managed Lo
dlsassoclaLe Lhemselves legally from sponsorshlp
responslblllLles wlLh adverse consequences for
workers under Lhelr guaranLee SubsequenL chapLers of
Lhls reporL lnclude case examples of Lhese abuses

lL ls Lhe responslblllLy of sponsors Lo secure
employmenL vlsas from Lhe Saudl governmenL for Lhe
forelgn workers Lhey wlsh Lo hlre AfLer Lhe vlsas are
obLalned many sponsors Lurn Lo manpower recrulLmenL
agencles Lo ldenLlfy Lhe workers and brlng Lhem
legally Lo Lhe klngdom 1hese agenLs charge boLh Lhe
sponsor and Lhe prospecLlve employees for Lhelr
servlces of maklng Lhe maLch Cnce workers are
recrulLed ln Lhelr home counLrles and Lhe fees pald
Lo Lhe agenLs Lhelr passporLs are sLamped wlLh vlsas
aL Saudl embassles abroad 1hese vlsas allow Lhem Lo
enLer Lhe klngdom for Lhe purpose of employmenL

Cnce forelgn workers arrlve ln Saudl Arabla Lhey are
noL lssued work permlLs unless Lhey have employmenL
conLracLs slgned by Lhe sponsor and Lhemselves 1he
only conLracLs wlLh legal valldlLy are Lhose wrlLLen
ln Arablc38 1he conLracL musL lnclude Lhe agreedupon
Lerms of employmenL and musL be ln wrlLlng drawn up
ln Arablc and ln dupllcaLe one copy Lo be reLalned by
each of Lhe Lwo parLles"39 1he labor law sLaLes LhaL
a conLracL concluded for a speclfled perlod shall
LermlnaLe upon Lhe explry of lLs Lerm lf boLh parLles
conLlnue Lo enforce Lhe conLracL LhereafLer lL shall
be consldered renewed for an unspeclfled perlod"60

Saudl courLs do noL recognlze conLracLs slgned by
recrulLlng agenLs or oLher parLles61 ln cases of
blllngual conLracLs Lhe Arablc copy ls Lhe
auLhorlLaLlve one62 1he uS embassy ln 8lyadh for
example cauLlons prospecLlve Amerlcan workers
8efore you slgn a conLracL wlLh a Saudl company lL
ls exLremely lmporLanL you obLaln an lndependenL
Lngllsh LranslaLlon of Lhe conLracL 1he offlclal and
blndlng verslon of Lhe conLracL LhaL you slgn ls Lhe
Arablc LexL Some Amerlcans have slgned conLracLs LhaL
ln facL dld noL lnclude all of Lhe beneflLs Lhey
belleved Lhey were acqulrlng"63

Workers' ConLracLs and Wages lalse romlses
Many mlgranL workers never see Lhese Arablclanguage
conLracLs ln Lhelr home counLrles or are forced Lo
slgn such documenLs when Lhey reach Saudl Arabla A
senlor lndlan dlplomaL ln 8lyadh conceded LhaL
manpower recrulLlng agenLs ln lndla were exLremely
corrupL and very explolLaLlve" buL also placed blame
squarely on Saudl sponsors and employers Pe Lold
Puman 8lghLs WaLch LhaL lndlan workers Lyplcally slgn
conLracLs wlLh local recrulLlng agenLs buL Lhese
conLracLs are ofLen conflscaLed when workers arrlve ln
Lhe klngdom 1hey are Lhen forced Lo slgn a new Arablc
conLracL wlLhouL knowlng lLs conLenL64

MlgranL workers from Lhe hlllpplnes lndla and
8angladesh all complalned Lo Puman 8lghLs WaLch abouL
salary reducLlons once Lhey reached Saudl Arabla 1hey
were shocked Lo learn LhaLLhelr acLual monLhly
salarles were slgnlflcanLly lower Lhan whaL was
promlsed Lo Lhem ln Lhelr home counLrles lor example
Lhe employer of 8aymond 8elLran a resLauranL worker
from Lhe hlllpplnes presenLed hlm wlLh a conLracL
wrlLLen ln Arablc when he arrlved aL uammam alrporL ln
SepLember 2002 and lnsLrucLed hlm Lo slgn lL l could
noL read Lhe conLracL and he dld noL glve me a copy"
8aymond Lold us Pe laLer learned LhaL Lhe new
conLracL speclfled hls monLhly salary as $267 noL Lhe
$300 LhaL he was promlsed ln Lhe hlllpplnes63 ln
anoLher case an elecLrlcal englneer from Lhe
hlllpplnes who was employed aL a hoLel ln uhahran
from lebruary 2001 unLll lebruary 2003 Lold us abouL
Lhe unskllled lndlans 8angladeshls and Srl Lankans
who worked Lhere Pe sald LhaL Lhey had been promlsed
monLhly salarles ln Lhelr home counLrles ranglng from
700 Lo 800 rlyals abouL $187 Lo $213 buL recelved
only half of LhaL" All of Lhese workers had assumed
slgnlflcanL debL Lo flnance Lhelr vlsas Lo Saudl
Arabla so Lhey [usL kepL Lhelr mouLhs shuL and dld
Lhelr work" Lhe englneer reporLed66

An lndlan Musllm mlgranL worker Lold us abouL hls
experlence ln 2000 on hls Lhlrd employmenL vlsa Lo
Saudl Arabla as a drlver AL LhaL Llme he was
LhlrLyseven years old and Lhe sole source of supporL
for hls wlfe and Lhree chlldren ln a vlllage near
CallcuL ln kerala sLaLe Pe sald LhaL he pald 60000
rupees abouL $1300 Lo a manpower agency ln
Mumbal for a vlsa Lo work wlLh a prlvaLe company 1he
agency Lold hlm LhaL Lhe monLhly salary was 1300
rlyals or abouL $400 Pe sald LhaL he slgned a
conLracL ln Arablc whlch he could noL read excepL for
Lhe numerals of hls promlsed salary 1he agency dld
noL glve hlm a copy of Lhe conLracL explalnlng LhaL
lL would be senL separaLely Lo Lhe company ln Saudl
Arabla When he arrlved ln Lhe klngdom he was
lnformed LhaL hls acLual salary was only 1000 rlyals
abouL $267 and never recelved a copy of Lhe
conLracL from hls employer67

Cne of Lhe mosL sLrlklng feaLures of some of Lhe
LesLlmony LhaL we obLalned from mlgranL workers was
Lhelr bellef LhaL Lhe explolLaLlon Lhey experlenced ln
Saudl Arabla was an aberraLlon ropelled by desperaLe
economlc clrcumsLances ln Lhelr home counLrles and
perhaps mlsplaced naive opLlmlsm Lhey reLurned a
second or Lhlrd Llme Lo Lhe klngdom wlLh hopes of
beLLer condlLlons only Lo experlence salary
reducLlons agaln Cne lllusLraLlon ls Lhe case of
Abdul !abbar from lndla who Lold us abouL hls
Lenyear hlsLory of false promlses

Pe Lraveled Lo Saudl Arabla legally for Lhe flrsL Llme
ln 1992 when he was ln hls LwenLles for a [ob as a
malnLenance worker A local recrulLlng agenL Lo whom
he pald 30000 rupees flnanced wlLh Lhe sale of some
of hls faLher's agrlculLural land promlsed hlm a
monLhly salary of 800 rlyals Abdul !abbar Lold us
LhaL he was pald only 270 rlyals a monLh and labored
for Lwoandahalf years before reLurnlng home Pe
wenL Lo Lhe klngdom agaln ln 1993 Lhls Llme wlLh a
promlsed [ob as a drlver/salesman wlLh a monLhly
salary of 1000 rlyals When he arrlved he learned
LhaL hls acLual salary was only 400 rlyals Abdul
!abbar fled Lhls employer and worked aL odd [obs
wlLhouL legal sLaLus and Lhus ln consLanL danger of
arresL because he dld noL have an offlclal resldency
permlL unwllllng Lo conLlnue under such sLressful
clrcumsLances he reLurned Lo lndla Lwo years laLer ln
a general amnesLy LhaL Lhe governmenL offered for
undocumenLed forelgn workers ln 1999 Abdul !abbar
borrowed money Lo obLaln anoLher legal vlsa on Lhe
promlse of a [ob wlLh a monLhly salary of 1200 rlyals
($320) 8uL Lhe salary was only 300 rlyals or abouL
$133 Pe Lold us LhaL hls wages were ralsed ln
lncremenLs and by Lhe Llme he reLurned Lo lndla ln
2003 he was earnlng 1000 rlyals a monLh68

Some lowpald workers have found oLher aspecLs of
Lhelr conLracLs modlfled 1hls happened Lo Maya a
seamsLress from Lhe hlllpplnes when she reporLed for
her [ob ln Medlna ln Aprll 2002 Lo begln whaL she
undersLood was a Lwoyear conLracL 1hey sald LhaL my
conLracL from Lhe hlllpplnes was noL valld and l had
Lo slgn anoLher plece of paper ln Arablc" she Lold
us Maya learned laLer LhaL Lhe new conLracL
speclfled a Lhreeyear Lerm of employmenL noL Lhe Lwo
years LhaL she had agreed Lo ln Lhe hlllpplnes 1he
conLracL Lerms sLaLed LhaL lf Maya worked for less
Lhan Lhe Lhreeyear Lerm she would be responslble for
paylng Lhe cosL of her roundLrlp LransporLaLlon from
Lhe hlllpplnes Lo Saudl Arabla69

MosL mlgranL workers lncur subsLanLlal debL Lo flnance
Lhelr legal lmmlgraLlon Lo Lhe klngdom and are anxlous
Lo begln sendlng money home Lo Lhelr famllles so Lhey
Lyplcally accepL lower wages and oLher conLracL
changes wlLh llLLle or no proLesL1he overwhelmlng
ma[orlLy of recenLly reLurned mlgranLs LhaL Puman
8lghLs WaLch lnLervlewed expressed fear LhaL any
complalnL would [eopardlze Lhelr employmenL ln oLher
cases workers fled Lhelr employers or asked Lo be
reLurned home ofLen susLalnlng subsLanLlal flnanclal
losses ln Lhe process 1he evldence suggesLs LhaL
Lhese pracLlces have been a perslsLenL paLLern
affecLlng unskllled and skllled workers allke

!ob SubsLlLuLlon
SomeLlmes Lhe [obs promlsed Lo mlgranL workers do noL
exlsL and once ln Lhe klngdom Lhey are forced Lo
accepL alLernaLlve work LhaL does noL maLch Lhelr
skllls or Lhe [ob descrlpLlon Lhey belleved was
speclfled ln Lhelr lnlLlal employmenL conLracL Saudl
Arabla's labor law speclflcally bans Lhls pracLlce
unless Lhe worker agrees ln wrlLlng Lo perform oLher
work ArLlcle 79 of Lhe law sLaLes ln perLlnenL parL
LxcepL ln cases of necesslLy and as dlcLaLed by Lhe
naLure of Lhe work a workman may noL be called upon
Lo perform a work whlch ls essenLlally dlfferenL from
Lhe work agreed upon unless he so agrees ln wrlLlng
and provlded LhaL Lhls ls done on a Lemporary basls"
Lmployers of lowpald mlgranL workers wldely dlsregard
Lhls provlslon of Lhe law

lor example LhlrLyyearold Crlando a dlesel englne
mechanlc from Lhe hlllpplnes was forced Lo work as
an agrlculLural laborer ln 2003 Pe Lold us LhaL he
slgned a Lwoyear conLracL wlLh a manpower agency ln
Manlla Lo work as a mechanlc ln Pa'll 1he conLracL
speclfled a monLhly salary of 1200 rlyals or abouL
$320 When Crlando arrlved aL Lhe alrporL ln Pa'll
ln AugusL 2003 Lhe lndlan drlver of hls Saudl
employer meL hlm and explalned LhaL hls [ob was wlLh
Lhe sponsor's broLher who managed a farm wlLh some Lwo
hundred sheep anoLher Lwo hundred goaLs and flve
camels Crlando was responslble for operaLlng a
LracLor Lo cuL feed for Lhe anlmals and wlLh four
lndlan workers Lendlng Lhe llvesLock Pe Lold us
LhaL hls lndlan colleagues were also skllled workers
who had accepLed [obs as elecLrlclans welders and
refrlgeraLlon mechanlcs When Crlando complalned he
sald hls employer Lold hlm lf you don'L llke lL go
back Lo Lhe hlllpplnes"

1he men were requlred Lo work long hours seven days a
week from 630 ln Lhe mornlng unLll 7 pm or 8 pm
aL nlghL Crlando sald LhaL he was pald 1000 rlyals a
monLh ($267) and hls lndlan coworkers 700 rlyals
($187) AL Lhe end of hls second monLh of work
Crlando was dlsgusLed and lnformed hls employer LhaL
he wanLed Lo reLurn home even Lhough he feared he
would forfelL Lhe placemenL fee of 23000 pesos
$418 LhaL he pald Lo Lhe manpower agency ln Manlla
Lo obLaln hls vlsa Pe sald he had heard abouL a
governmenL labor offlce where he could complaln buL
polnLed ouL LhaL he had no opporLunlLy Lo go Lhere and
flle a complalnL70 Pls employer drove hlm dlrecLly Lo
Lhe alrporL ln Pa'll where hls passporL was reLurned
Lo hlm along wlLh a LlckeL Lo Manlla 1he employer
dld noL pay Crlando for hls second monLh of work71

1he mosL harrowlng accounL of [ob subsLlLuLlon LhaL we
heard came from kaLLayadan Subalr an lndlan mlgranL
worker who Lraveled Lo Saudl Arabla ln 1994 when he
was LwenLyLhree years old Pe sald LhaL he pald a
local lndlan Lravel agenL 33000 rupees abouL
$1200 for an employmenL vlsa as a gardener aL a
prlvaLe home 1he agenL Lold hlm LhaL Lhe monLhly
salary was 800 rlyals abouL $213 Subalr never
worked as a gardener Pls Saudl employer forced hlm Lo
work as a shepherd ln an lsolaLed locaLlon for monLhly
wages of 400 rlyals Subalr found hlmself a vlcLlm of
forced labor and was unable Lo reLurn home unLll 1997


When Subalr flrsL meL hls Saudl sponsor ln !ouf Lhe
man communlcaLed wlLh hlm Lhrough an lndlan worker
from 1amll nadu who spoke Arablc Pe lnformed Subalr
LhaL he had no poslLlon for a gardener and he would be
worklng as a shepherd When Subalr sald Lhls was
unaccepLable and asked Lo be senL home Lhe sponsor
beaL hlm and conflscaLed hls belonglngs 1he nexL
mornlng Lhe sponsor drove Subalr and hls fellow
lndlan Lo a remoLe deserL area where Lhey were
responslble for Lendlng a herd of abouL flfLy sheep
1here was no permanenL lodglng aL Lhe slLe and Lhe
sponsor senL food and waLer every Lwo days 1he heaL
was so lnLense LhaL lL burned Lhe halr on my body and
ln Lhe wlnLer lL was so cold LhaL Lhe waLer Lurned Lo
lce" Subalr remembered shaklng hls head

AfLer Lhree monLhs he declded Lo escape Pe began
walklng under Lhe cover of darkness hoplng Lo reach a
vlllage or Lown When a passlng Lruck sLopped and Lhe
Saudl drlver offered hlm waLer Subalr Lold hls sLory
and menLloned hls sponsor's name 1he drlver musL
have called hlm because he found me drove me back
and beaL me black and blue" he sald l never Lrled
Lo escape agaln"

Subalr flnally prevalled upon Lhe Sudanese worker who
dellvered food and waLer Lo Lhe slLe Lo brlng hlm
paper and an envelope so he could wrlLe a leLLer Lo
hls famlly 1he Sudanese malled Lhe leLLer ln whlch
Subalr descrlbed hls slLuaLlon ln deLall 8ack ln
lndla hls faLher and uncle complalned repeaLedly Lo
Lhe agency LhaL placed hlm wlLh Lhe sponsor and
conLacLed local pollLlclans who managed Lo lnvolve Lhe
lndlan embassy ln Lhe case

1he famlly's perslsLenL advocacy had an lmpacL 1he
sponsor vlslLed Subalr and showed hlm a leLLer he had
recelved from Lhe lndlan embassy l'm sendlng you
back Lomorrow" he sald 1he sponsor pald Subalr 3000
rlyals reLurned hls passporL and drove hlm Lo !ouf
Subalr Lold us LhaL he dld noL recognlze hlmself when
he flnally had access Lo a mlrror he had noL baLhed
ln over Lwo years and also had a very long beard Pe
recuperaLed for flfLeen days wlLh a fellow lndlan from
kerala who operaLed a Leashop and Lhen spenL 1700
rlyals of hls accumulaLed salary" Lo purchase a
oneway LlckeL Lo lndla

l worked ln LhaL deserL for Lwo years and Lhree
monLhs 1here were flfLy sheep when l sLarLed and over
four hundred by Lhe Llme l lefL" Subalr esLlmaLed72
Pe neglecLed Lo menLlon hls flnanclal losses even aL
hls lowered monLhly salary of 400 rlyals hls employer
underpald hlm by 3800 rlyals ueducLlng Lhe cosL of
Lhe reLurn LlckeL from whaL he was pald hls neL
monLhly lncome amounLed Lo 122 rlyals or $33 aL
currenL exchange raLes

Cases dlscussed ln Lhe chapLers LhaL follow provlde
addlLlonal examples of salary reducLlons and [ob
subsLlLuLlon 1hese pracLlces comblned wlLh
explolLaLlon on Lhe [ob have prompLed mlgranL workers
Lo flee from Lhelr employers leavlng Lhem wlLhouL
legal sLaLus ln Lhe klngdom and sub[ecL Lo arresL and
deporLaLlon

lree vlsa" llluslons
Some mlgranL workers pay large sums of money Lo
manpower agenLs ln Lhelr home counLrles Lo secure whaL
Lhey belleve are advanLageous free vlsas" LhaL wlll
allow Lhem Lhe flexlblllLy Lo flnd Lhelr own [obs ln
Lhe klngdom wlLh only a nomlnal sponsor 1hese
osLenslbly legal documenLs are generaLed when Saudl
clLlzens or companles apply for and are granLed vlsas
for forelgn workers LhaL Lhey have no lnLenLlon of
employlng Accordlng Lo Arab news ln Lhe LasLern
rovlnce alone Lhere are dozens of companles whlch
exlsL only on paper Cn Lhe basls of Lhelr belng
reglsLered and llcensed Lhey apply for vlsas and Lhen
sell Lhem"73

An ambassador wlLh years of experlence ln Lhe klngdom
Lold Puman 8lghLs WaLch ln 2003 LhaL every Saudl of a
cerLaln sLandlng can obLaln free vlsas" When Lhe
vlsas are secured sponsors sell Lhem Lo
lnLermedlarles who are llnked Lo recrulLers ln sendlng
counLrles 1he mlgranLs who arrlve ln Lhe klngdom wlLh
free vlsas" Lyplcally musL flnd Lhelr own work wlLh
an employer and remlL monLhly paymenLs Lo Lhe Saudl
sponsor named on Lhelr vlsas

1here ls noLhlng called a 'free work vlsa' accordlng
Lo Saudl law" Lhe lndlan governmenL has warned lLs
expaLrlaLes Pence Lhe arrangemenL of allowlng Lhe
worker Lo work freely wlLh any oLher sponsor ls
lllegal 1he worker ln Lhls caLegory lf caughL
worklng wlLh a person oLher Lhan hls sponsor ls
repaLrlaLed back Lo hls counLry"74 A senlor lndlan
dlplomaL descrlblng Lhese vlsas as a bogus concepL"
Lold Puman 8lghLs WaLch LhaL workers arrlvlng on such
vlsas Lyplcally are requlred Lo pay a monLhly fee Lo
Lhe Saudl sponsors who have already generaLed lncome
from Lhe sale of Lhe vlsas Lo manpower recrulLlng
agenLs who also pass along Lhe cosL Lo Lhe worker73


An economlsL who worked ln Saudl Arabla unLll 2003
and closely monlLored mlgranL labor lssues made
slmllar observaLlons Pe also explalned Lhe lucraLlve
naLure of Lhe free vlsa" sysLem for Lhose Saudl
clLlzens who explolL lL

1here ls no free vlsa as such Powever aL Llmes some
unscrupulous Saudl buslnessman manages vlsas or work
permlLs for more persons Lhan needed ln hls faclllLy
LeLs say he needs Len persons only Powever he
somehow managed LwenLy work permlLs Pe sells each
work permlL for 3000 rlyals and Lhus makes 100000
rlyals abouL $26600 Cnce all LwenLy workers arrlve
ln Lhe klngdom he would employ Len as requlred and he
would allow Lhe oLher Len Lo work ouLslde wherever
Lhey can geL a [ob Pe would Lransfer Lhelr vlsa
lndlvldually Lo companles or persons LhaL would
recrulL Lhem lor each Lransfer he would make aL
leasL an addlLlonal 2000 rlyals abouL $3300 for Len
workers Slnce lL ls an easy process Lo make money
qulckly many recrulLers love lL76

noL all mlgranL workers have absorbed Lhe message LhaL
Lhere ls noLhlng free" abouL Lhese vlsas and Lhey
suffer varlous forms of explolLaLlon because Lhe
sysLem conLlnues Lo operaLe under varlous
permuLaLlons lor example 8abul a
LwenLyLwoyearold lndlan from a farmlng famlly ln
kerala sLaLe pald 130000 rupees (abouL $3300) Lo a
Lravel agency for whaL he was Lold was a free vlsa"
Lo Saudl Arabla Pe was assured LhaL Lhe vlsa would
enable hlm Lo work ln any [ob LhaL he could flnd77
8abul flew Lo !eddah ln SepLember 2002 and Lraveled by
bus Lo Abha Lo meeL umar Lhe lndlan lnLermedlary who
had arranged Lhe vlsa lour days laLer 8abul meL hls
Saudl sponsor" who gave hlm an lqama (resldency
permlL) and Lold hlm Lo look for a [ob Pe soon
dlscovered from prospecLlve employers LhaL hls vlsa
speclfled agrlculLural work only whlch llmlLed hls
posslblllLles of employmenL

8abul complalned Lo umar who Lold hlm LhaL Lhe vlsa
could be changed lf he agreed Lo pay 8000 rlyals or
abouL $2133 8abul who had already borrowed 100000
rupees $2200 Lo pay Lhe agency ln lndla for hls
vlsa and relaLed expenses could noL assume addlLlonal
debL and desperaLely searched for employmenL ln Abha
l learned laLer LhaL umar cheaLed many people" he
Lold us

Cver Lhe nexL Lhree monLhs 8abul sald he found work
ln varlous unskllled [obs aL a hoLel a poulLry
farm a supermarkeL and a gas sLaLlon buL was
dlsmlssed wlLhouL pay once Lhe employers lnslsLed on
seelng Lhe vlsa ln hls passporL 8abul Lhen moved Lo
!eddah where he llved wlLh lndlan frlends for flve
monLhs Pe worked ln a hoLel for one monLh and was
pald 900 rlyals ($240) Lhe only lncome he earned
durlng hls sLay ln Lhe klngdom 1he hoLel dlsmlssed
hlm when hls lllegal sLaLus became apparenL 8abul
Lold us he declded LhaL hls only opLlon was Lo reLurn
home Pe lefL hls passporL and lqama aL Lhe aparLmenL
of hls frlends and sLood aL a locaLlon ln !eddah
where he was sure Lhe pollce would apprehend hlm Pe
was soon arresLed as an lllegal resldenL and deporLed
afLer elghL days ln May 2003 Pe dld noL lnform Lhe
pollce or lndlan consular offlclals who vlslLed hlm ln
[all abouL hls experlences wlLh umar or hls Saudl
sponsor l dld noL Lhlnk Lo Lell Lhem and Lhey dld
noL ask me" he sald78

ln 2003 lbrahlm an lndlan drlver suffered ma[or
flnanclal loss ln a free vlsa" scheme Pe Lold Puman
8lghLs WaLch LhaL he pald a recrulLlng agenL ln lndla
100000 rupees abouL $2200 for a free vlsa"
Pe was arresLed and deporLed less Lhan Lwo monLhs
afLer hls arrlval ln Saudl Arabla sufferlng a ma[or
flnanclal loss

Accordlng Lo lbrahlm Lhe recrulLer ln lndla gave hlm
a Lelephone number Lo call when he arrlved ln 8lyadh
1hrough Lhls number he reached an lndlan lnLermedlary
who reporLedly had secured Lhe vlsa and senL lL Lo
lndla AfLer Len days Lhls lnLermedlary broughL
lbrahlm Lo a Lravel agency run by Saudls where
lbrahlm surrendered hls passporL and pald 700 rlyals
abouL $187 ln addlLlonal fees" lbrahlm recelved no
recelpL Pe was lnsLrucLed Lo reLurn Lhe nexL day and
flnally meeL hls Saudl sponsor 1he sponsor asked
lbrahlm how he obLalned Lhe vlsa Lhen Lold hlm LhaL
Lhe vlsa was a fake and he dld noL need any workers
Pe broughL lbrahlm Lo a pollce sLaLlon explalnlng
LhaL he wanLed hlm Lo flle a complalnL and LhaL he
would provlde asslsLance lnsLead lbrahlm was locked
ln a cell so overcrowded wlLh abouL 200 men of
dlfferenL naLlonallLles LhaL Lhere was barely room Lo
sLand 1he nexL mornlng prlson sLaff shaved hls head
cuffed hlm aL Lhe wrlsLs and ankles and broughL hlm
Lo an offlcer who was slLLlng wlLh Lhe sponsor 1he
offlcer asked lbrahlm how he obLalned Lhe vlsa 1he
sponsor Lhen lefL and lbrahlm never saw hlm agaln

1hlrLyflve days laLer he was called Lo explaln hls
case Lo Lhe secreLary of a senlor offlcer ln a meeLlng
LhaL lasLed only LwenLy mlnuLes lbrahlm was ordered
deporLed and was held ln a deporLaLlon cenLer unLll he
flew home on !uly 1 2003 Pe was convlnced LhaL Lhe
sponsor and hls agenLs would resell Lhe vlsa Lo
anoLher unsuspecLlng lndlan worker79 Cbservers
knowledgeable abouL Lhls sysLem ln Saudl Arabla
emphaslzed Lo Puman 8lghLs WaLch LhaL lL ls lmposslble
Lo esLlmaLe Lhe number of Llmes Lhe same employmenL
vlsa has been sold ln schemes deslgned Lo dupe
vulnerable mlgranL workers





36 ArLlcle 49(c ) 1hls arLlcle of Lhe law also
provldes for auLhorlzed nonSaudl employers Lo
conLracL forelgn workers 1he labor law was approved
by Councll of MlnlsLers ueclslon no 743 on 24 Sha'ban
1389 P (november 4 1969) and promulgaLed by 8oyal
uecree no M/21 on 6 8amadan 1389 P (november 6
1969)

37 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew 8lyadh Saudl
Arabla !anuary 23 2003

38 1he uS SLaLe ueparLmenL polnLs ouL verbal
assurances or slde leLLers are noL blndlng under Saudl
law ln Lhe evenL of any conLracL dlspuLe Lhe Saudl
auLhorlLles refer Lo Lhe conLracL" Consular
lnformaLlon SheeL for Saudl Arabla 8ureau of Consular
Affalrs WashlngLon uC lebruary 2 2004

39 ArLlcle 77 of Lhe labor law

60 ArLlcle 72

61 8aslc Legal lnformaLlon for lndlan Workers ln
Lhe klngdom of Saudl Arabla" March 31 2002

62 lbld

63 1ravel 1lps on Saudl Arabla"
hLLp//[eddahusconsulaLegov/wwwhcn29hLml (reLrleved
lebruary 12 2004)

64 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew 8lyadh Saudl
Arabla !anuary 23 2003

63 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew Cuezon ClLy
hlllpplnes uecember 8 2003

66 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew Cuezon ClLy
hlllpplnes uecember 9 2003

67 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew CallcuL kerala
lndla uecember 3 2003

68 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew CallcuL kerala
lndla uecember 4 2003

69 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew Cuezon ClLy
hlllpplnes uecember 18 2003 SecLlon C(2) of Lhe
SLandard LmploymenL ConLracL for llllplno Pousehold
Workers ln Saudl Arabla sLaLes LhaL Lhe employer
shall provlde Lhe worker wlLh free passage from
Manlla Lo Lhe slLe of employmenL and upon LermlnaLlon
of Lhe conLracL from Lhe slLe of employmenL back Lo
Manlla" A copy of one of Lhese conLracLs execuLed
ln CcLober 2001 ls on flle aL Puman 8lghLs WaLch

70 SeeChapLer v for lnformaLlon abouL Lhe
governmenL's mechanlsms for addresslng laborrelaLed
grlevances

71 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew negullan La unlon
hlllpplnes uecember 13 2003

72 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew Arrecode kerala
lndla uecember 1 2003

73 Saeed Palder SLoppage of Sponsorshlp 1ransfer
!olLs !ob MarkeL" Arab news March 2 2004

74 ConsulaLe Ceneral of lndla 8ookleL on 8aslc
Legal lnformaLlon for lndlan Workers ln Lhe klngdom of
Saudl Arabla" !eddah Saudl Arabla
hLLp//wwwcgl[eddahcom/malnhLml

73 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew 8lyadh Saudl
Arabla !anuary 23 2003

76 ur Abdul Momen LxpaLrlaLe Workers ln Saudl
Arabla keep Lhe uream Allve!" undaLed Lenpage
reporL Copy on flle aL Puman 8lghLs WaLch

77 Pe conLrlbuLed 30000 rupees of Lhe LoLal from
hls personal savlngs and borrowed Lhe balance from
nelghbors ln hls vlllage

78 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew CallcuL kerala
lndla uecember 3 2003

79 Puman 8lghLs WaLch lnLervlew CallcuL kerala
lndla uecember 4 2003