Government to take up delay in employment visa's issue by Saudi embassy

[LRE]

Government to take up delay in employment visa's issue by Saudi embassy
RECORDER REPORT
ISLAMABAD (December 20 2008): Pakistan government is working to take up the matter of delay in issuance of employment visas by Saudi Embassy. Saudi Embassy is currently receiving the employment visas on quota system from two groups of employment promoters. Embassy receives 500 employment visas daily and due to quota system, promoters are facing the problems of delay in issuance of visas.

Sources said that Minister of Labour and Manpower has directed the ministry officials to collect the information from the promoters associations about the pending cases of employment visas to take up the issue with Saudi ambassador. Sources said that a delegation of two Overseas Employment Promoters including Lion and United also on Friday met the Saudi embassy officials and took up the issue of delay in visa issuance.

The delegation requested the Embassy officials to remove the quota system and increase the tenure of medical certificate from three months to four months as visa seekers were facing the problems of expiry of medical certificates due to delay in visa process followed by quota system. The delegation will again hold meeting with Saudi Consulate next week to consider the issue.

The Embassy receives cases from four zones including Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi Islamabad and Peshawar. The Embassy receives 500 cases from two groups including Lion and United. Due to such system, promoters are facing delay in issuance of employment visas that is also disturbing for the Saudi employers. Due to such bottlenecks, Saudi employers are focusing on other countries like India and Bangladesh.

Responding to the complaints against the FIA officials, Minister for Labour and Manpower has decided to take up the issue with Interior Ministry and director general FIA for devising a proper procedure for disposal of complaints against Overseas Employment Promoters (OEP). Promoters claim that some FIA officials cause unnecessary harassment to the OEPs without any solid reason, which not only demoralise and defame them but also adversely affect their business.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008