KSA extends amnesty for illegally staying migrants

The government is appealing to the remaining 6,000 Filipinos illegally staying in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to avail of the host country's newly extended amnesty program.

Citing the report of the Philippine embassy in KSA, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said qualified Filipinos will have until October 15, 2017 to apply for the provisional extension of the amnesty.

The amnesty program will cover the following: those with expired umrah, hajj visit visa; pilgrims without hajj permits; those who have crossed to the border into the kingdom without permits; residents with expired resident ID card (Iqama); workers with work permits but with no Iqama; workers who have been declared absconding (huroob) by their employers/ sponsors.

POEA said qualified Filipinos could submit their amnesty application at the Saudi Immigration (Jawasat).

"The Jawasat Processing Center in Riyadh is located at 7516 Zaid IbnThabit Al Malaz, Riyadh.

The Center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. only," POEA said in a statement.

POEA warned irregular OFWs, who will not be able to apply for the program before its deadline, will face arrest, detention, and made to pay fines by the Saudi government.

This is the second time the Saudi government extended its amnesty program, which started in March 2017 and was supposed to end last May.

The Saudi government, however, later decided to extend the amnesty period up to June.

The Department of Foreign (DFA) reported that 8,467 Filipinos with irregular status applied for the 4-month amnesty program.