In a move to ensure the quality of the Indian workers influx to their country, Saudi Arabia issued a circular stating that from Tuesday (Jan 14), Indians planning to apply for a work visa will now be required to undergo pre-verification of their professional and education qualifications. 

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Saudi Arabia proposed the idea six months ago to control the number of Indian workers arriving in their country, given the limited capacity of qualified training centres. 

"The professional verification will become one of the mandatory requirements for issuing work visas," the circular read, according to The New Indian Express. 

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This move will further facilitate providing smoother access to Saudi Arabia's labour market and improving worker retention rates. 

As per the new rule, the HR departments and the establishment owners have been asked to verify the certificates and information provided by the employees. 

Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia

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Currently, Indians are the second-largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia, followed by Bangladesh, leading the numbers with 2.69 million expat workers, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. 

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Reportedly, over 2.4 million Indian workers live in Saudi Arabia, including 1.64 million working in the private sector and 785,000 in domestic work.

For Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, the Saudi labour sector is undergoing changes, including strict certification requirements for respective jobs. 

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The sources said that a "clear vision to support Saudization efforts," which focuses on giving more opportunities to the local population, the aim is to "raise recruitment standards and attract skilled expatriate talent."

"The initial stage of addressing labour disputes is a mediation process aimed at reaching an amicable resolution between the worker and employer. If this fails, the case is referred to the labour court, and it is a streamlined process," a source said, according to the New Indian Express report.

(With inputs from agencies)