No curbs on maids’ illegal migration to S Arabia

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News service

Jalandhar, April 8

Concerned over the rising number of illegal migration cases of maids to Gulf countries, the Indian Embassy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has written to the Chief Secretaries of Punjab and other states, urging them to spread awareness particularly in the districts sending unskilled and semi-skilled women workers.

The consulate had sent a similar advisory in September and November last year, but illegal emigration of maids from India continues unabated. According to consulate sources, Punjab has sent over 40 house “slaves” in the age group of 18 to 30 years in the past three months to Saudi Arabia.

The consulate received 210 complaints in 2014, 341 in 2015 and 404 in 2016. In 2017, the number of maids’ cases rose to over 526, mostly from Punjab. Sources said a majority of the cases went unreported due to lack of awareness among the unskilled and illiterate workers.

Ahmed Javed, India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said recruiting agents (RAs) arranged to get a valid Saudi visa en route, legalising the illegal journey undertaken from India.

He said, “To transport illegally recruited workers to Saudi Arabia, RAs send them on a tourist visa to another country, such as the UAE. The agents also provide them a return air ticket so that the Indian immigration authorities don’t suspect the workers of being illegal migrants.”

Javed added that on entering Saudi Arabia, these maids came under the ambit of the Saudi law pertaining to migratory workers and had to abide by the work contract signed with their employer.

He said despite the Indian Government’s campaign, ‘Surakshit jao, Prashikshit jao (Go safe, go trained)’, female workers continued to emigrate through third-country visas. As there is no arrangement between the Indian and Saudi governments to share details of work permits issued by the latter to Indian workers, the Indian consulate comes to know about harassment cases only when they post videos online or approach the authorities by other means.

As per Saudi law, the sponsor is entitled to get reimbursement of his recruitment expenses when an expatriate worker wants to return to his country prematurely. The amount towards recruitment goes up to Rs 5 lakh, which a poor worker is unable to pay, and hence is forced to work without salary.

Even though it’s the responsibility of an RA to resolve the matter by compensating the Saudi sponsor or providing a replacement, most of the local agents wash their hands of the case as they are not registered and hence not liable to confiscation of the deposit (up to Rs 50 lakh) mandatory for registered RAs.