Penalty for employing workers for someone other than the employer: a fine of 100,000 and imprisonment

The General Directorate of Public Security in Saudi Arabia has reiterated its strong warnings to employers, emphasizing the necessity of adhering to regulations concerning the employment of expatriate workers. Security authorities clarified that any laxity in enforcing labor and residency laws, specifically allowing workers to work for others or independently, constitutes a serious violation warranting severe penalties.

Details of the prescribed penalties

According to what the Public Security Directorate announced, any individual employer who is proven to be involved in enabling his employees to work for others or to work for themselves will be subject to the following penalties without leniency:

• Financial penalty: up to 100,000 Saudi Riyals.
• Imprisonment: up to six months.
• Ban on recruitment: A ban on recruiting workers for up to five years.

Context of security campaigns and labor market regulation

These warnings come as part of ongoing field campaigns conducted by the Ministry of Interior, through its various sectors, in cooperation with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, to apprehend violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations. These measures fall under the "A Nation Without Violators" strategy, which aims to eliminate negative phenomena in the labor market and reduce the number of undocumented workers who may provide cover for illegal or illicit commercial activities.

The economic and security importance of the decision

The tightening of these sanctions has extremely important economic and security dimensions, as it aims to:

• Strengthening internal security: Since workers who operate irregularly may be beyond the reach of oversight, this increases the likelihood of their involvement in security or criminal offenses.
• Protecting the national economy: Eliminating commercial concealment and the hidden economy, and ensuring fair competition between establishments and individuals who comply with the regulations.
• Protecting the rights of workers and employers: Regulating the contractual relationship guarantees the rights of all parties and prevents the exploitation of workers in illegal activities.

Call to report violators

In closing, the security authorities called upon all citizens and residents to cooperate with the relevant agencies by reporting any violations related to residency, labor, and border security regulations. They clarified that reports can be made by calling 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom, emphasizing that all reports will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.