Saudi Arabia arrests 17,000 violators in residency law crackdown

RIYADH: In the Residency law crackdown, Saudi officials have detained over 17,000 individuals in more than a month, in a nationwide campaign, ARY News reported.

The crackdown was conducted to target individuals found in violation of residency, labour, and border security laws.

According to the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), apprehended people were found involved in offences related to expired or invalid residency permits, unauthorised employment, and illegal border crossings.

The Residency law crackdown was part of a key initiative led by the Ministry of Interior, which underscores the commitment of the Kingdom to uphold immigration and labour regulations.

Depending on the violation criteria, violators were imposed with the penalties, including imprisonment, deportation, and financial fines.

Authorities highlighted that Saudi citizens and legal residents must refrain from helping violators in any way, such as offering transportation, employment, or shelter.

If any citizen is found doing so, they may have to face severe legal consequences, including up to 15 years in prison, fines reaching SAR 1 million, and confiscation of vehicles or property used in the offence.

The Ministry of Saudi Arabia has assured the public that reports of violations can be submitted privately, and the informant will not face legal consequences.

Authorities urge citizens to report rule violations by calling emergency hotlines: 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, Madinah, and the Eastern Province, and 999 or 996 in other areas.

The Residency law crackdown is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to manage its job market and enhance border security.

In just one week in August, 22,222 rule violations were found across the country, including 13,551 issues with residency, 4,665 border problems, and 4,006 labour law violations.

Earlier, the Ministry of Saudi Arabia launched a digital platform to process municipal violation objections.

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing announced that all objections related to municipal violations, fines, and procedures can now be submitted and processed electronically through the Unified Objections Platform.