No more work visas to Indians; Gulf country makes shocking decision

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is moving ahead with steps to disrupt the global labour flow. The kingdom has temporarily suspended the issuance of 'block work visas' to citizens from 14 countries including India, Pakistan, and Nigeria. It is reported that this decision will continue until the end of June 2025, taking into account the Hajj season. The new decision has sprouted seeds of uncertainty among workers. This has affected the operations of various companies.

The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development decided to temporarily suspend the block visa. This is one of the visas used by various companies in the country to recruit employees in bulk. The system for applying for the visa has been removed from the labour management platform 'Qiwa'.

Companies will no longer be able to recruit employees from the 14 countries. Processing of previously granted visas may now take longer. Saudi Arabia's new decision could cause a major setback for the construction sector, which has been highly reliant on the labour force from these 14 countries.

Those who have already applied for work visas will have to wait for some time before hearing back from the officials. Meanwhile, individuals with valid work visas who have not yet entered Saudi Arabia may face additional restrictions at the border. Visas are currently denied to those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and Morocco.

Envoy Global noted that Saudi Arabia's current decision has created significant uncertainty among companies that rely on foreign workers. Although the Saudi government has not provided an official explanation in this regard, it is indicated that the decision is part of an effort to increase employment among citizens by increasing the number of nationals in sectors such as tourism.