Article 7 of the Saudi Rules on Expatriate Violators
المادة 7 من قواعد التعامل مع الوافدين من مخالفي الأنظمة
Article 7 provides that anyone proved to have employed violators, let his workers work for themselves or for others, or used other people's workers is deprived of recruitment for up to five years.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يُحرم من الاستقدام لغرض العمل أو الزيارة لمدة لا تزيد على خمس سنوات ؛ كل من ثبت عليه تشغيل الوافدين المخالفين للأنظمة، أو ترك عماله يعملون لحسابهم الخاص أو لدى الغير، أو استخدم عمال غيره، دون إتباع القواعد النظامية المقررة .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 7 explained in plain English
Article 7 sets a significant penalty for employers and sponsors, which is deprivation of recruitment for work or visit purposes, for a period of no more than five years.
It applies to anyone against whom one of the following acts is proved:
- Employing expatriates who violate the laws.
- Letting his workers work for themselves.
- Letting his workers work for others without following the established legal rules.
- Using other people's workers without following the established legal rules.
Important points on the text:
- The period stated is a maximum (no more than five years); the text does not make five years a fixed period.
- The deprivation covers recruitment for work and for visit purposes together.
- The text requires proof, meaning the violation must be proved against the person.
This article comes after Article 6, which requires government bodies to make sure that expatriates working for them or in their fields of jurisdiction have valid residence permits and are authorized to work. Article 8 provides another consequence that falls on the expatriate himself, which is barring every deported expatriate from entering the Kingdom for the periods and under the procedures set by a regulation issued by decision of the Minister of Interior. Anyone against whom a deprivation of recruitment has been issued may consult a specialist lawyer in residency laws and administrative cases.
Practical example
It was proved that the owner of an establishment in Taif let two workers registered under him work for themselves delivering orders. Under this article, he may be deprived of recruitment for work or visit purposes for no more than five years.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 7 of the Saudi Rules on Expatriate Violators
How long is the deprivation of recruitment for violating labor?
A period of no more than five years, and it covers recruitment for work or visit purposes.
Is someone deprived of recruitment if he had a worker working for another party?
Yes, if it is proved that he let his workers work for others or used other people's workers without following the established legal rules.
Is the deprivation of recruitment always five years?
No. The text makes five years a maximum, so the deprivation is for a period of no more than five years.
More articles on Penalties for Violating Residence and Labor Rules
- Article 4
Article 4 requires the sponsor of a visitor to report immediately if the visitor overstays or is absent from departure after the stay period ends, and treats failure to report as concealment on his part.
على المستقدم للزائر إبلاغ الجهة المختصة في حالة تأخر أو تغيب الوافد عن المغادرة بعد انتهاء المدة المحددة لإقامته مباشرة، ويعد عدم الإبلاغ تستراً من المستقدم .
- Article 10
Article 10 provides that the Ministry of Interior applies to the violators mentioned in Articles 1, 3 and 4 the penalties in Articles (4) and (5) of the Regulation of the Treatment of Arrivals to the Kingdom.
تطبق وزارة الداخلية على المخالفين المشار إليهم في البنود (الأول) و (الثالث) و (الرابع) من هذه القواعد العقوبات المنصوص عليها في المادتين (4) و (5) من تنظيم معام
- Article 11
Article 11 assigns the examination of violations of the rules to committees in the General Directorate of Passports and its branches, with decisions approved by the Minister of Interior or his delegate, and allows the jurisdiction to be transferred.
تتولى اللجان المشكلة في المديرية العامة للجوازات وفروعها النظر في المخالفات الواردة هذه القواعد، ويعتمد قراراتها سمو وزير الداخلية أو من يفوضه، ويجوز بقرار من و
- Article 12
Article 12 allows anyone against whom a passports committee issues an administrative decision to file a grievance with the Minister of Interior within no more than thirty working days of being notified of or learning of the decision.
يجوز لمن صدر في حقه قرار إداري من اللجان المشار إليها في البند (الحادي عشر) من هذه القواعد ؛ التظلم لدى وزير الداخلية خلال مدة لا تتجاوز ثلاثين يوماً عمل من تار
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.