The Labor department at the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) has prevented the transfer of work permits from one company to another for those working in private sector, who are past the age of 65 years old despite the absence of formal or verbal instructions to that effect from authorities, reports Al-Qabas daily.
The daily quoting informed sources affirmed that no decision would be issued to prohibit transfer of the work permits of the aforementioned age group in the private sector, while the department managers confirmed receiving verbal instructions to apply the decision and halt the transfer of only those expats with no university degree and above the age 65, but they will continue to renew the work permits for the sponsor himself.
Those over 65 years old with accredited university degrees are allowed to transfer and renew their work permits, but some employees have started refusing related transactions even if they there are no such directives. They stated those falling within the age group who are capable of working cannot be stopped, as long as the private sector or their employers require them or consider them among the staff.
On possible new decisions concerning the process of transferring, and renewing visas while recruiting new workers, the daily reports, quoting sources, that measures are in place to amend some legal articles in a way that guarantees the protection of workers while modifying the demographics.
Labor force statistics reveal that 85,623 expats are above 60 years, of whom 53,814 are between the age group of 60 and 64, of which 7,389 are female. Also, 31,809 expats are over 64 years old and 28,277 of them are men. It showed that 17,117 of expats who are 60 years old are working as company managers, officials and specialists in private sector, as well as education, health and other sectors, which represents 20 percent of the total number. It is noteworthy that 21,303 of expats who are more than 60 years old work in cumbersome jobs such as fashion show services, promotion, sales, personal and protective services, according to the statistics of the authority. This is in addition to 1,700 workers in extracting construction and metals, 367 farmers and fishermen. Also, 5,000 are in mineral industry and machinery, 6,000 are drivers and mobile equipment operators, and 7,700 regular workers.
The Residency Affairs General Department in the Ministry of Interior allowed the extension of the expired passports of expatriates provided they obtain the necessary documents from their embassies, reports Al-Jarida daily quoting Director of Residency Affairs Department in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Governorate Colonel Dr Saud Al-Tami. The documents include an extension stamp and checking the validity of their data certificate from their embassies. He said the certificate should be attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so the concerned expatriates can renew their passports for a period of two years.
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