RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said it would ease key restrictions on millions of foreign workers, under reforms to its labour policy that is blamed for widespread abuses and exploitation. Human rights groups have repeatedly called on the kingdom to abolish its “kafala” sponsorship system, branded by critics as a modern form of slavery that binds workers to their Saudi employers. The Saudi human resources and social development ministry said that from March 14, expatriates will no longer need their employers’ authorization to change jobs, travel or leave Saudi Arabia, which is home to some 10 million foreigners. The reforms, if fully implemented, could have a big impact on the Saudi labour market and the lives of blue-collar foreign workers who lack effective recourse against overcrowded housing and exploitative employers. “These changes are not small changes — it’s huge,” Alharbi told Bloomberg News in an interview on Wednesday.

Source: Manila Times November 05, 2020 16:17 UTC