Expatriates blacklisted in any Gulf Cooperation Council nation could be banned from all the member countries, if a law gets the nod this May.
A unified immigration database, aimed at helping member countries keep track of criminal record of expatriates in the region, could become a reality this year.
The unified monitoring system will ensure that any foreigner found to be blacklisted in any Gulf country is banned from entering all other GCC countries.The final decision on this matter will be taken in Qatar within the next four months, Labour Ministry Undersecretary Sabah Al Dossary told DT News.
“This needs more time and study, a decision cannot be taken quickly. One of the things that needs to be considered is ensuring justice,” he said.
Last November when the GCC labour ministers met in Kuwait, the provisions for the unified maid contract had been agreed upon.
Ministers had also discussed the concept of unified immigration database during the meeting, but a final decision had not been reached.
These efforts come as one of numerous measures that are being discussed between the Gulf States to monitor and safeguard the 17 million expat population in the region.
Countering Asian conditions
Another measure to be taken, according to regional media reports, is that a six nation team will be formed within a month to counter the conditions imposed by the Asian labour exporting countries.
“We will form this team within a month or so and will make recommendations to the GCC labour ministers.
The aim of this team is to coordinate efforts among member states to help local employers in their efforts to hire labour and counter the conditions imposed by the Asian labour exporting countries,”
Head of the labour recruitment committee in the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Saad Al Baddah was quoted as saying.
“We want to coordinate action and act as one entity in face of measures taken by the countries which supply domestic labour and other workers. Those countries do not recognise measures taken by the GCC to ensure good wages for their labour and surprise us by taking one-sided measures,” Mr. Al Baddah added. – Daily Tribune, Bahrain – Mohammed Zafran zafran@dt.bh Courtesy: Migrant Forum in Asia
