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Do’s
  1. Deal ONLY with a registered Recruiting Agent (RA).
  2. Check on the eMigrate portal whether the RA is registered with Protector General of Emigrants (PGE).
  1. See the original Registration Certificate issued by the PGE.
  2. Contact the office of PGE/Protector Emigrants (PoE) in case of doubt regarding the status of RA.
  3. Verify from the eMigrate portal that the prospective employer do not figure in the ‘Foreign employers on the Prior Approval Category (PAC)List, which is a watch list of foreign employers who are barred from recruiting from India for violation of the provisions of Emigration Act.
  4. Understand the contents of the Employment Contract, which details the terms of the employment including entitlements and obligations of both the worker and the employer.
  5. Seek the assistance of someone knowledgeable, other than the RA, to explain the contents of Employment Contract if it is in a language not known to you.
  6. Insist that Employment Contract is prepared in Arabic and English and verify that the contents of both versions are same.
  7. Upon receipt of visa, check whether the visa details viz. type of visa, job title, details of the employer/sponsor, etc. tallywith those mentioned in the Employment contract.
  8. Exercise caution against RA misleading you about the type of job, working conditions, allowances, etc. and verify the same from a known contact and in case of doubt seek advice from Indian Embassy/Consulate.
  9. Be vigilant against overcharging by RA. No amount other than  a service charge not exceeding 45 days’ wages, subject to a maximum Rs.20,000/- needs to be paid to RA, because as per the Saudi Labour Law, all expenses towards recruitment including visa fee, air ticket, etc. are to be borne by the employer.
  10. Make payment to the RA ONLY by Demand Draft or Cheque and obtain a receipt.
  11. Lodge any complaint against overcharging or cheating by RA, on the eMigrate portal.
  12. Open an N.R.E. Account in one of the Banks in India to enable you to send funds to India.
  13. Obtain and keep with you a copy of the Employment Contract signed by the employer and you, duly attested by the RA, before you depart from India.
  14. Ensure that your passport is valid for a minimum of six months from the date of travel.
  15. Acquaint yourself with the local labour laws, working and living conditions, by visiting the websites of the Indian Embassy, Riyadh/Consulate, Jeddah and Saudi Ministry of Labour.
  16. Carry a mobile phone (preferably, an inexpensive smart phone), which can be used with the free mobile SIM provided at the airport by the Saudi Ministry of Labour, in case of emergency for contacting the sponsor/RA/Embassy/family, etc. upon arrival.
  17. Keep with you the address and contact details (telephone/mobile numbers) of your Sponsor and RA as well as the Indian Embassy/Consulate before you leave for Saudi Arabia.
  18. Keep with your family in India copies of your passport, visa, and employment Contract, as well as name and phone numbers of RA and sponsor.
  19. Ensure that your baggage do not contain any prohibited/banned items such as narcotic drugs, alcohol, food items containing pork, khas khas, khat leaves, gutkha, pan masala, religious literature related to a religion other than Islam, obscene material, etc. Please refer to Customs Advisory in page 14-15.
  20. Ensure that medicines, if any, carried by you, DO NOT belong to the list of medicines/substances banned in Saudi Arabia, and is for only for personal use, in reasonable quantity, and in its original packing, accompanied by authentic prescription/medical report/undertaking/authority along with their Arabic translation, etc. and in compliance with the Saudi Food and Drug Administration (SFDA)’s guidelines, as detailed in Customs Advisory on page 14-15. 
  21. Do not bring taweez/amulets, black/coloured dhaaga or such articles, or indulge in activities that could be construed as black magic. Sorcery and witchcraft are banned in the Kingdom and punishable with severe penalties including death.
  22. If you have to take a parcel for someone, open it and check thoroughly that it does not contain any of the prohibited items mentioned above.
  23. Personally check contents of all your bags/packages once again before checking in.

Don’ts
  1. Do not deal with RAs non-registered or whose registration is cancelled/not renewed.
  2. Do not travel if the job category on the visa is different from the employment contract.
  3. Do not accept visa for establishments/jobs where employment of foreigners is prohibited.
  4. Do not carry items prohibited/forbidden in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Do not store any prohibited/obscene material on your mobile phone/laptop, etc.
  6. Do not carry any medicine other than for personal use and without authentic medical prescription or which is forbidden in the Kingdom
  7. DO NOT accept any parcel from anyone including RA/friends and relatives without opening and personally checking the contents.
  8. Do not  return to the Kingdom on any type of visa including Employment, Haj and Umrah visas if any criminal case is pending against you,  or if you had earlier been deported from the Kingdom. In case of doubt seek advice from Embassy/Consulate.

 

Community Welfare