IOM warns of returns of Yemeni workers from KSA

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has warned of massive repatriation of Yemeni migrant workers from Saudi Arabia as Riyadh steps up its crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the kingdom.

Over the past five months, Saudi Arabia has sent more than 190,000 Yemeni migrant workers back to their country, causing severe deterioration in living conditions in Yemen.

During the first seven days of November, the rate of returns jumped dramatically with over 7,000 Yemeni migrant workers repatriated each day.

A large number of Yemeni returnees working mostly as construction workers sent remittances home to their families in the Arab country of up to USD 200 in each month, according to statistics gathered by the IOM.

“The fact that the families will not receive these remittances anymore will have a major impact on them and the economy of their region. We are looking, here, at approximately USD 5 million lost in remittances for the months of October and November alone. Most of them are returning to areas with high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition. The massive loss of income will inevitably exacerbate this situation,” said the IOM in a statement released on Tuesday.

Saudi authorities launched a visa crackdown on undocumented foreign workers in early November. Several foreign workers have since been killed by the Saudi police and many others imprisoned.

Riyadh has announced plans to create jobs for Saudi nationals by reducing the number of foreign workers, totaling some nine million people.

Thousands of foreign workers have already surrendered to Saudi authorities.

Hundreds of thousands of workers have already left Saudi Arabia as a result of tough conditions considered for the immigrants.

Foreign workers cannot change jobs or leave Saudi Arabia without the permission of their sponsors, who are often Saudi companies or individuals providing workers to businesses for profit.

Most of the sponsors confiscate the passports of the workers for the duration of their contracts.

In late October, rights group Amnesty International censured Saudi authorities for not addressing the “dire human rights situation” in the kingdom.

The group also handed in a paper to the United Nations, which included information regarding a “new wave of repression against civil society, which has taken place over the last two years.”