Following its approval of the classification and qualification of professions in all sectors of the labor market, the Public Authority of Manpower (PAM) has stated that it will issue work permits for expatriate workers only if their qualifications are compatible with the professions for which they are being recruited.
Elaborating on the new mechanisms that are being implemented, the Director of the Capital Governorate Labor Department, at the PAM, Fahad Al-Ajmi, said that in order to ensure the highest productivity and work efficiency, workers will not be recruited from abroad if their qualifications are not compatible with the professions they are recruited for.
He also noted that anyone recruited on a commercial entry visa will be allowed to transfer their visa only to the same company that provided the commercial visa. The transfer will also be considered as a new work permit and not an internal transfer, and consequently this will be deducted from the estimate of the number of expatriate workers allocated to the company. Visa transfers are also conditional on the worker obtaining a police clearance certificate (PCC) and a copy of the entry visa, if any, as well as the requirements of the profession.
Al-Ajmi revealed that all procedures for obtaining or transferring visas at PAM are now fully automated and do not require the presence of the employer. He also pointed out that the automated process has to a large extent eliminated the visa trade operations, due to completing all procedures through an automated mechanism that requires only few, if any, human interventions. In addition, the accurate and automated linkage to other government entities, allows for procedures to be completed without employers or employees having to visit multiple offices.
He added, PAM is keen to expand the use of the automated system, and to transform all procedures from paper to online through the extensive cooperation that took place between the authority and other relevant government agencies, especially the ministries of health, interior, trade, justice, the Public Authority for Civil Information, and others.
Al-Ajmi also confirmed the authority has issued directives to bring in expatriate workers from abroad, in accordance with the administrative circular (18/2021) issued by the PAM Director. Accordingly, all companies wishing to obtain permits to bring in migrant workers from abroad must submit an application through the automated service (Ashal) and follow the steps including the approval of the vaccination certificate by the Ministry of Health.
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