Saudi Arabia Reports Over 19,500 Violations Of Residency And Labor Laws In Recent Inspections

The Ministry of Interior recently carried out inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia to ensure adherence to residency, labour, and border security laws. These inspections uncovered 19,541 violations in total. Among these, 11,402 were related to residency, 4,775 pertained to border security, and 3,364 involved breaches of labour regulations.

In an effort to cross into the Kingdom illegally, 953 individuals were apprehended. Of these, 40% were identified as Yemenis, 58% as Ethiopians, and the remaining 2% belonged to other nationalities. Additionally, authorities detained 129 individuals attempting to exit the Kingdom unlawfully.

Authorities arrested 27 people for their involvement in transporting, sheltering, or employing violators. Currently, procedures are underway for 33,733 expatriates—comprising 30,724 men and 3,009 women—to enforce compliance with regulations. Among them, 22,827 have been detained for law violations and instructed to contact their embassies or consulates for travel documentation.

The Ministry has issued a stern warning that facilitating illegal entry into the Kingdom can result in severe penalties. These include up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching SAR1 million. Furthermore, vehicles used for transport or houses used for shelter may be confiscated as part of the punishment.

The Ministry emphasised that such actions are considered major crimes warranting arrest. It urged citizens to report any violations by calling specific numbers: 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions; and 999 or 996 elsewhere in the Kingdom.

In addition to detentions for documentation purposes, authorities instructed another group of 5,365 individuals to arrange their departure bookings. Meanwhile, a total of 8,954 expatriates have already been repatriated following these procedures.

With inputs from SPA