Illegal Foreign Workers

Britain and India on Tuesday signed an accord on migration and mobility, a foreign ministry official said, as they look to deepen economic, cultural and other ties following the UK's departure from the European Union.

The UAE is home to 2.8 million Indian expatriates, the largest expatriate community in the country.

Thailand's junta denied on Monday that they were pursuing a "sweep and clean" policy of driving illegal foreign workers out of the country, despite mass departures by fearful Cambodians since the military took power last month.

Saudi Arabia said Saturday that there would be no leniency shown toward those organisations who hire illegal immigrants, Xinhua reported.

With 1.34 lakh Indian workers already returning to the homeland, Government is closely watching the situation in Saudi Arabia which is targeting illegal foreigners under its new labour policy, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi today said.

The streets of the Saudi capital Riyadh were unusually quiet on Monday as many expatriates stayed at home to avoid the start of a government crackdown on illegal foreign workers.

Saudi Arabia today extended by four more months an amnesty enabling illegal foreign workers to regularise their status or return home without prosecution.

Saudi Arabia has warned employers who continue to shelter illegal workers that they risk up to two years in prison.

More than 1.5 million foreign workers in Saudi Arabia have changed their residence status since April ahead of a planned crackdown on illegally registered expatriates in the world's leading oil exporter, the labour ministry said on Saturday.

Some 180,000 illegal foreign workers have left Saudi Arabia since April 1 under an amnesty that allowed them to try to sort out their papers or leave without paying a penalty, a report said on Sunday.

A Cairo court sentenced 43 Egyptian and foreign NGO staff on Tuesday to jail terms of up to five years for working illegally, sparking outrage and raising fears for the future of civil society.

Foreigner workers, including Indians, have been given a three-month grace period by Saudi authorities to regularise their status after panic over mass deportations as part of a crackdown on illegal migrants.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Saturday ordered a three-month delay to a crackdown on migrant workers which has led to thousands of deportations, to give foreigners in the kingdom a chance to sort out their papers.

Britain and India on Tuesday signed an accord on migration and mobility, a foreign ministry official said, as they look to deepen economic, cultural and other ties following the UK's departure from the European Union.

The UAE is home to 2.8 million Indian expatriates, the largest expatriate community in the country.

Thailand's junta denied on Monday that they were pursuing a "sweep and clean" policy of driving illegal foreign workers out of the country, despite mass departures by fearful Cambodians since the military took power last month.

Saudi Arabia said Saturday that there would be no leniency shown toward those organisations who hire illegal immigrants, Xinhua reported.

With 1.34 lakh Indian workers already returning to the homeland, Government is closely watching the situation in Saudi Arabia which is targeting illegal foreigners under its new labour policy, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi today said.

The streets of the Saudi capital Riyadh were unusually quiet on Monday as many expatriates stayed at home to avoid the start of a government crackdown on illegal foreign workers.

Saudi Arabia today extended by four more months an amnesty enabling illegal foreign workers to regularise their status or return home without prosecution.

Saudi Arabia has warned employers who continue to shelter illegal workers that they risk up to two years in prison.

More than 1.5 million foreign workers in Saudi Arabia have changed their residence status since April ahead of a planned crackdown on illegally registered expatriates in the world's leading oil exporter, the labour ministry said on Saturday.

Some 180,000 illegal foreign workers have left Saudi Arabia since April 1 under an amnesty that allowed them to try to sort out their papers or leave without paying a penalty, a report said on Sunday.

A Cairo court sentenced 43 Egyptian and foreign NGO staff on Tuesday to jail terms of up to five years for working illegally, sparking outrage and raising fears for the future of civil society.

Foreigner workers, including Indians, have been given a three-month grace period by Saudi authorities to regularise their status after panic over mass deportations as part of a crackdown on illegal migrants.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah on Saturday ordered a three-month delay to a crackdown on migrant workers which has led to thousands of deportations, to give foreigners in the kingdom a chance to sort out their papers.