CHECK LIST FOR INDIAN WORKERS COMING TO WORK IN SAUDI ARABIAAs a large number of Indian nationals residing in areas under the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of India, Jeddah, are either semi-skilled or unskilled workers, the Community Welfare Section plays the role of a coordinator and facilitator by providing guidance and machinery for the redressal of grievances in a foreign environment. The services cover a wide canvass of welfare measures that inter-alia, include authentication and verification of employment contracts, settling disputes regarding work contracts. In addition, assistance in claiming compensation due to workers relating to termination benefits as also on account of accidental or other deaths is provided.
CHECK LIST FOR INDIAN WORKERS COMING TO WORK IN SAUDI ARABIA
BOOKLET ON PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN CASE OF DEATH IN SAUDI ARABIA
ON-LINE REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
Community
Welfare Wing :
Functions of Community Welfare Wing
Do's and Dont's for Indian Workers Seeking Employment
in Saudi Arabia
Procedures to be followed in case of Death of an Indian National
Requirement of Documents at Consulate for Burial
Documents Requirement at Consulate for Transportation of Deadbody
Forms
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BOOKLET ON BASIC LEGAL INFORMATION FOR INDIAN WORKERS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA (CLICK HERE) |
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Counselling Indian workers over various labour disputes. |
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Settlement
of labour disputes between expatriate Indian nationals and Saudi sponsors
through negotiations, correspondence with Saudi sponsors, various local
Foreign Office, etc. |
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Providing
free Interpreter service to Indian workers
for their cases at Jeddah Labour Court. |
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Facilitating
repatriation to India of housemaids
and stranded workers whenever
required by interceding with local authorities. |
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Periodical
visits to labour camps to see living conditions and to sort out problems. |
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Attestation of documents pertaining to recruitment from India. |
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Counselling relatives/ friends of Indian nationals over
formalities in the
case of death of Indian nationals at Saudi Arabia. |
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Issue of
No Objection Certificate for the local burial or transportation to India of
mortal remains of deceased Indian nationals. |
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Attending
to complaints and follow up work with sponsors, other local authorities for the
earliest burial/ transportation to India of mortal remains. |
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Counselling
and correspondence with the family members of Indian nationals over claims
involving death compensation amount. |
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Attending
various Shariah Courts for the settlement of death compensation claims of
deceased Indian nationals who authorise the Consulate with their Power of
Attorney. |
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Realisation
of death compensation claims from Saudi authorities and repatriation of the same
to India to the next of kin of deceased Indian nationals. |
Consulate General of India and the officials of Community Welfare Wing
are always at the service of the Indian community and may be contacted at any
time at the address given below for advice and assistance,
if needed.
Community Welfare Wing,
Consulate General of India,
Tel : 652 0104/ 652 0112- Extn. 19/30&31
Fax: 653 3964
The Consulate General of India, Jeddah maintains an Indian Workers’ Welfare Fund (IWWF) to assist the stranded and harassed Indian workers. Contributions are, indeed, most welcome. Contributions can directly be made in the IWWF A/c No. 022-700603-001 maintained with the Saudi British Bank, Caravan Branch, Jeddah. Such of those community members, who would like to contribute in cash, may donate and obtain a receipt from the Community Welfare Wing of the Consulate General
As an experimental welfare measure for those workers who are not covered by insurance schemes by their sponsors, the Consulate General is organising medical camps at the Consulate premises on a weekly basis. Medical teams from various hospitals/clinics visit the Consulate every Thursdays from 2.00 P.M to 5.00 P.M. to examine the patients and give them advice on their ailments. The medical examination, blood pressure check and some minor tests, are also being done. Cases, which require additional investigations, are referred to eminent Indian doctors. In addition, free medical counselling is also provided for patients. The medicines prescribed by the doctors in the camps, for the deserving cases, are given free of cost on the spot itself.
If any Indian national faces any dispute with his sponsor regarding non-payment of wages, leave, etc., they can contact the Community Welfare Wing to sort out their problems. The officials of the Community Welfare Wing try to sort their problems through discussions with the sponsor for an amicable settlement. If no agreement or settlement is reached through discussions with sponsor, the Indian nationals have to file the case with Labour Court, Jeddah. Community Welfare Wing provides free Interpreter service for most cases at Jeddah Labour Court. At present, this service is available only at Jeddah and not in places outside Jeddah. It is always good for all Indian nationals to keep the copy of their contract with them to safeguard their interest.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR
RECRUITMENT
Copy
of Visa
Demand
Letter
Power
of Attorney in the name of Recruitment Agent
Employment
Agreement (separate agreement for each category and Specimen agreement in the
case of block visa)
Letter
addressed to Royal Saudi Embassy/ Consulate in India
(The
above documents are to be duly attested by Chamber of Commerce and Saudi
Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR
RECRUITING HOUSEMAIDS
Undertaking
from employer regarding free accommodation, free medical, air fare and consular
access.
Letter
from the sponsor showing the genuineness of his requirement of housemaid.
The
age of the maid should not be less than FORTY years.
Copy of the Identity Card of Saudi sponsor.
DO’S
AND DONT’S FOR INDIAN WORKERS SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA
Check
and ensure that the Employment Contract has been attested by the Consulate
General in Jeddah. If not, check on
the bonafides of the company and the offer of employment with the Consulate.
Do
not pay agency fee in excess of the maximum prescribed to the Indian Recruiting
Agency/Company.
Seek
employment only through registered and licensed recruiting agencies.
Undertake
thorough medical check up in India before departure to ensure that you do not
suffer from any serious ailment.
Check
your visa before departure and satisfy yourself that it is an employment visa
and not a visit or transit visa.
Check
validity of passports to ensure that it is valid for at least six months after
arrival in Jeddah.
Always
keep the Iqama (ID card) in your personal custody when you are on the move in
Saudi Arabia.
Strike or refusal to work attracts penal provisions.
Do
not bring poppy seeds as an item of domestic
household/spice/medicinal item or for any other purpose.
It is considered a drug under local laws in the Kingdom.
If convicted, the punishment is rather harsh, with imprisonment.
Contact Vice Consul (Labour) or Consul (Labour) in the Consulate General of India, Jeddah in case of any problems.
Keep
a copy of relevant pages of your passport with you before handing over the
passport to your employer.
PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN CASE OF DEATH OF AN
The death of Indian nationals at Saudi Arabia due to natural / unnatural reasons like traffic accident, work related accident, suicide, murder, etc, is to be intimated to (i) the nearest Police authorities, (ii) next of kin in India, and (iii) the nearest Indian Mission. The mortal remains can either be buried at Saudi Arabia or transported to India.
The next of kin has to send a letter stating that he/she has no objection for the burial or transportation of mortal remains and authorizing either the sponsor, close relative/ friend or any other person know to them, to take charge of the body for local burial or transportation to India.
The hospital will provide Medical Report or Death Intimation Report. Based on this Police Department will issue Police Report.
The details of personal items of the deceased are to be listed in front of some witness and handed over to the authorized representative.
The authorised representative has to contact this Consulate General with copies of death documents and obtain No Objection Certificate (NOC) for local burial or transportation to India.
On receipt of No Objection Certificate, the mortuary authorities will release the dead body for local burial. They will also issue Burial Permission Certificate for cemeteries for burial.
The mortal remains of Non- Muslims can also be buried at Jeddah in Non-Muslim Cemetery, Jeddah, on payment of some fees. At present this cemetery is under the supervision of Consulate General of Switzerland, Jeddah.
In case of transportation to India, the mortal remains are to be embalmed at mortuary. Saudi authorities have fixed fees (SR.2093/-) for embalming and it is to be deposited with the hospital. Fees for coffin is also to be paid at the mortuary authorities (approx. SR.800/-).
Hospital
authorities to be contacted for
Embalming of mortal remains only after obtaining clearance from Police
authorities/ Governorate.
Iqama
of the deceased is to be submitted with Jawazat (Saudi Passport Deptt.) for
cancellation and Exit visa stamp should be obtained in the passport of the
deceased.
All documents (both in English & Arabic) are to be given to cargo agents for booking the mortal remains.
An affidavit is also to be submitted by the legal heirs to the nearest Airlines office at nearest International/ Domestic airport stating that mortal remains would be accepted by them without any delay from the cargo terminal, on arrival from abroad. The same is to be faxed to the sponsor, cargo agents and to this Consulate General. The cargo agency may not accept cargo without this affidavit.
REQUIREMENT
OF DOCUMENTS AT CONSULATE FOR BURIAL
Medical Report or Death Report from hospital with English translation.
Copy of Power of Attorney from the next of kin of the deceased with Arabic translation (Duly signed and attested by Notary Public).
Police
Report copy with English translation (for unnatural death only- accident,
murder, suicide, etc.)
Copy
of passport and Iqama of the deceased
Copy
of Identity card – attorney (copy of passport and Iqama for Indians / Copy of
Tabia card for Saudis)
Letter
from sponsor to the Consulate regarding legal dues of deceased.
(All the documents are to be submitted in
triplicate)
Medical
Report / Death Report copy with English translation
Death
Certificate copy with English translation
Police
Report copy with English translation (for unnatural death
only- murder, suicide, road accident, etc)
Copy of Power of Attorney from the next of kin of deceased with Arabic translation (Duly signed and attested by Notary Public)
Copy
of passport and Iqama of the deceased
Copy of Identity card – attorney (copy of passport and Iqama for Indians / Copy of Tabiah card for Saudis)
Letter from sponsor to Consulate regarding legal dues of deceased.
(All the documents are to be submitted in triplicate)
According
to the Laws of Saudi Arabia, the family of the deceased may claim death
compensation from the causer, if the death is due to work accident, traffic
accident or murder.
If
any worker dies while working due to the fault of any machinery, equipment,
etc., then the sponsor of the deceased will pay work accident compensation
claim. The claim has to be submitted directly to the sponsor.
If
any worker dies due to
a traffic accident or
is murdered, the actual causer of the incident/murderer
has to pay death compensation. Police authorities after investigation
will fix the percentage of responsibility and the compensation amount may differ
accordingly. The death compensation claims are to be submitted to Shariah Court
and the Shariah Court Judge will decide the amount. Those who wish to submit
claim with Shariah Court should nominate any person known to them as their
Attorney. The Consulate General of India may also be given Power of Attorney
to represent their case.
After
hearing all sides, Shariah Court will deliver its verdict. On submission of
verdict copy, Saudi Treasury (Baitul Mal) will release compensation amount.
Normally most of the cases are being settled by Shariah court within a period of
one year. However, in some cases it takes a few years due to some
technicalities/ legal hurdles in the proceedings.
All
compensation claimants should invariably submit (i) Legal Heirship Certificate (LHC)
and (ii) Power of Attorney (POA) to the Shariah Court. Legal Heirship
Certificate is being issued by Civil authorities (Revenue/ Tehsil / Mandal) in
India and Power of Attorney is to be executed by all the legal heirs of the
deceased with Judicial authorities (Notary Public) in India.
Both
the LHC and POA are to be attested further with (a) Home / General Admin.
Department of respective State Governments, (b) Consular Section, Ministry of
External Affairs, New Delhi and (c) the Royal Saudi Embassy / Consulate in
India. They are to be further attested with Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Ministry of Justice at KSA and submitted to the concerned Shariah Court for
settlement of death compensation claim.
