A Saudi minister has warned that his government is planning to expel large numbers of foreign laborers, which would include Egyptians currently working in the country.
“Permits of foreign workers who have worked more than six years in Saudi Arabia will not be renewed,” said Saudi Minister of Manpower Adel Fakieh at a meeting with businessmen in Jeddah on Sunday.
“We have about half a million Saudi men and women who are out of a job,” he added.
However, Egyptian Minister of Manpower Ahmed Hassan al-Borai said Saudi authorities had not notified him of any such decision.
Chamber of Commerce member Saleh Nasr explained that 2.5 million Egyptians work in Saudi Arabia, 70 percent of whom have worked there more than six years.
Nasr warned of an increase in unemployment in Egypt if those workers are forced to return home to Egypt.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
