The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has extended its Amnesty Program to all illegal Filipino workers to July 24, a Foreign Affairs official confirmed on Monday.
In a text message, DFA on Migrant Workers Affairs executive director Raul Dado called on the remaining 6,000 illegally staying Filipinos in the Kingdom to register and take advantage of the extension to avoid arrest.
“Yes it’s extended. As per policy and the standard information campaign , the embassy will register as many as would like to register,” Dado said.
“We expect new registrants with the extension until July 24, 2017,” he added.
There are a total of 12,000 illegal Filipinos who were able to register under the Amnesty Program; but there are still remaining 6,000 who are awaiting to be repatriated.
Dado said, of these 6,000, 1,080 Filipinos are just waiting for tickets in Riyadh; and 1,217 in Jeddah.
The reason why there are remaining 6,000 Filipinos still in KSA is because they have commercial and private debts to settle first before going home.
So far, he said, all host government requirements are complied with, and all private obligations of the OFWs are settled.
In May, the KSA issued an amnesty Program to all illegal Filipino workers. Under the program, the OFW s will not be charged of paying the corresponding penalties to the Saudi government for violating its migrant regulations.
Coverage of the amnesty are enumerated as follows: residents whose “iqama” expired on or before 19 March 2017, workers with work permit but no iqama ID card; runaway workers reported as such on or before 19 March 2017, Umrah and Haj overstayer (pilgrimage), pilgrims without Haj permit; and “Inflitrators’ crossing Saudi borders.
The Philippine embassy in KSA said that the Saudi government has granted the extension in order to “provide an opportunity for those who have yet to complete the Amnesty procedures within the specified time period,
“In this light, the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh strongly reiterates its advisory to all illegally staying Filipinos in the Kingdom to immediately avail of the Amnesty by completing all necessary procedures in order to be issued their final exit visa and leave the Kingdom as soon as possible,” the embassy said.
It also reminded all Filipinos that the validity of the final exit visas being issued by the Saudi Immigration Office (Jawasat) for Amnesty Applicants is valid for 60 days only.
“For Filipino Amnesty applicants whose final exit visas have already expired, please wait for further announcements on this bulletin on procedures for renewal of visas, which will be detailed by the Jawasat shortly,” it said.
In an “extremely urgent” memo, the KSA Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that after the grace period, the authorities will start arresting illegal foreigners who had failed to avail the Amnesty Program.
“The Ministry requests the esteemed Embassy to urge its nationals who are violating such regulations to benefit from the grace period to leave the country before the end of the deadline,” the KSA foreign ministry stated.
“However, any violator of the residence permit and work regulations would be arrested after ending the grace period, the regulation will be implemented on him or her and he or she will be under legal case,” it added.