Riyadh, September 6, 2026: Saudi Arabian authorities have intensified nationwide enforcement of residency, labour, and border security regulations. According to data released by the Saudi Ministry of Interior on September 5, a total of 14,165 individuals were apprehended for various violations during joint field campaigns conducted between August 27 and September 2. During this same one-week period, 12,363 violators were deported from the Kingdom.
- 14,165 individuals apprehended for various violations between August 27 and September 2.
- 12,363 violators deported from the Kingdom during the same one-week period.
- 29,773 expatriates undergoing various legal enforcement processes at the time of the announcement.
The Ministry of Interior provided a breakdown of the 14,165 apprehended individuals:
7,121 cases involved residency law violations,
3,636 involved border security laws, and
3,408 were related to labour law violations. Additionally,
1,315 people were caught attempting to enter the country illegally via the border; of these,
58 percent were Ethiopian,
41 percent Yemeni, and approximately
1 percent were of other nationalities. Another
42 individuals were apprehended while attempting to exit the Kingdom illegally. Furthermore,
21 people were arrested for allegedly providing transport, shelter, employment, or concealment for violators.
Regarding the 12,363 deported individuals, authorities noted that an additional
18,937 people were referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while
3,240 were sent for travel reservation procedures. At the time of the announcement,
29,773 expatriates were undergoing various legal enforcement processes, consisting of
27,845 men and
1,928 women. While nationality-specific data for those deported was not provided, the Ministry emphasized that enforcement applies to all expatriates.
Saudi law strictly prohibits non-Saudi individuals from working without a valid work license. Under Article 39 of the Saudi Labour Law, workers are prohibited from working for an employer other than their official sponsor without following legal procedures, and employers are likewise forbidden from employing workers sponsored by others. Workers facing employment disputes are advised to use official channels like the Qiwa platform for transfers or the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development helpline at
19911 rather than engaging in informal or unofficial employment, which carries significant legal risk. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has reminded Indian nationals to use official labour grievance channels, including the labour-support landline
00-966-11-4884697, the toll-free helpline
800 247 1234, or the WhatsApp message line
00-966-542126748 (messages only). Grievances may also be emailed to
labour.riyadh@mea.gov.in or registered via the Indian Ministry of External Affairs' MADAD portal. Workers are advised to keep documents such as passport copies, iqama copies, visa pages, employment contracts, sponsor details, and recruiting agent information ready. The Ministry of Interior issued a stern warning that facilitating illegal entry, transporting, or sheltering violators can result in penalties of up to
15 years imprisonment and fines of up to
SR 1 million, alongside the potential confiscation of vehicles or properties used in the commission of such offenses.
