Saudi- Employers to pay SR 2,400 levy for expat workers 

(MENAFN - Arab News) Labor Ministry spokesman Hattab Al-Enizi denied that the ministry is imposing a levy on workers instead of employers who don't meet Saudization standards.

Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh called on the Labor Ministry to reconsider the two-month-old decision of imposing SR 200 monthly - SR 2,400 annually - levy on private sector employers for every foreign worker. The Grand Mufti describe the fees as "baseless."

He called on the ministry to tackle the issue and clarify the basis for deducting the sum from workers, calling on employers to disburse their employees' salaries without delay.

"Whoever is affected by the levy decision has to turn to relevant authorities to obtain their rights according to the law," the Grand Mufti said.

However, Al-Enizi said levies for foreign workers will be paid by the company and not the worker.

There are about 4 million foreign workers in the country's private sector.

They are included in the cabinet's fees decision, which exempts companies with Saudis consisting of more than 50 percent of their workforce.

However, Al-Enizi said the decision is issued by the Cabinet "and we cannot reconsider or review it, we just have to implement it."

Al Asheikh said this in a lecture on Thursday at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.

The decision includes companies where foreign workers outnumber national ones.