MANILA, Philippines - Some of the stranded overseas Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia have already expired visas while waiting for the Philippine government-sponsored air tickets, a migrant workers' rights group said on Tuesday.
Migrante-Middle East regional coordinator John Monterona said their group has been receiving complaints from some stranded OFWs in Jeddah and Riyadh about their air tickets, which have yet to receive from the Philippine embassy and consulate in Saudi Arabia.
"We thought the stranded OFWs’ air tickets from the DFA were already sent to the [Philippine] embassy and consulate in Saudi Arabia. We were surprised that the stranded OFWs who already obtained exit visas are still awaiting their air tickets," Monterona added.
Citing information from the stranded OFWs at the "Tent City" in Jeddah and those in Riyadh, he said the Saudi immigration authorities issued exit visas with only a seven-day validity to some 600 stranded OFWs.
"Noting that the exit visas issued by Saudi immigration authorities to the stranded OFWs are only valid for seven days, then it is prudent on the part of [Philippine] embassy and consulate officials to issue open-and-ready air tickets so that their repatriation will not be further delayed," he said.
Citing records of the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, Monterona said around 6,500 stranded OFWs in Jeddah and 3,500 in Riyadh have sought assistance for repatriation early this year.
Around 4,200 stranded OFWs are camped out beside the Philippine consulate building in Jeddah since April 10, while more than 200 are staying inside the Philippine embassy in Riyadh since May 4.
Last month, the Saudi government launched massive crackdown on "illegal" migrant workers in its attempt to force private companies to correct their status in line with the Kingdom's Nitaqat policy.
The Saudi labor ministry granted a 90-day grace period that will end July 3 to correct "illegal" workers status, for transfer to another employer and repatriate those who wanted to leave the Kingdom.
Migrante estimates that there are 22,000 to 28,000 undocumented OFWs in the Kingdom out of the total 1.2 million OFWs living and working in Saudi Arabia.