Saudi Arabia deports 10,000 expats in nationwide crackdown on residency and labor violations
Saudi authorities have deported 10,000 expatriates in the past week as part of a nationwide crackdown on residency, labor, and border security violations, the Ministry of Interior announced.
FollowSaudi authorities have deported 10,000 expatriates in the past week as part of a nationwide crackdown on violations related to residency, labor laws, and border security, the Ministry of Interior announced. During joint field operations conducted across the kingdom, officials detained over 21,000 individuals for various infractions. This included nearly 14,000 for residency violations, 4,600 for breaching border security, and over 3,000 for labor law offenses.
Additionally, the ministry stated that around 27,000 individuals have been referred to their respective embassies to obtain travel documents, while 2,300 others are in the final stages of completing their deportation procedures.
During the operations, security forces intercepted 1,477 individuals attempting to enter Saudi Arabia illegally. Among them, 41% were Yemeni nationals, 55% were Ethiopians, and the remaining 4% belonged to other nationalities. Additionally, 90 people were detained while trying to leave the country unlawfully.
Authorities also arrested 18 individuals accused of sheltering, transporting, or employing undocumented expatriates. Officials warned that those aiding illegal residency could face severe consequences, including prison sentences of up to 15 years, fines reaching 1 million Saudi riyals, and the confiscation of vehicles or properties used in the violations.
The ministry emphasized that these offenses are categorized as serious crimes that warrant immediate arrest and are considered breaches of public trust. Authorities urged residents to report any such violations through designated emergency hotlines, with specific contact numbers provided for different regions.
According to the statement, legal proceedings are underway for 34,000 foreign nationals, including 31,000 men and 3,000 women, as part of the ongoing enforcement measures.
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