Conference on Saudi immigration policy
Bafakih & Nassief Lawyers and Legal Consultants

According to the latest data available, Saudi Arabia was the most popular migrant destination in the Middle East, fourth most popular worldwide (1). Despite current policies which aim to reduce the reliance on foreign labor in the private sector, hiring of foreign workers in the public sector increased by 61% (2) in the last year, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority relaxed the rules on foreign investment (paving the way for foreign investors to migrate to the Kingdom to invest locally), and many private sector industries continue to rely on foreign labor, despite the Ministry of Labor limitations.

In addition to the above mentioned changes, the Ministry of Interior recently changed its policies towards residency of the children of Saudi Arabian mothers, and issued an amnesty call for long-term residents of Burmese origin, providing them with new residency rights (including the right to legal employment). Given all these changes in immigration related laws and policies, and the limited amount of research available, Bafakih & Nassief Lawyers and Legal Consultants would like to organize a conference to bring together various stakeholders from the private and public sectors, to discuss and examine how the changes affect individual migrants in the Kingdom, potential long-term issues that may arise, and the future of immigration in Saudi Arabia.

We are interested in examining these issues from the perspectives of policy makers, legal practitioners, and academics who are interested in migration and residency in Saudi Arabia. We are currently looking for speakers who can address the following:

* Are restrictions on the employment of foreign workers in the private sector a feasible long-term strategy?
* How has the introduction of restrictions on foreign migrant labor affected the private sector's ability to retain or hire foreign talent?
* The experience(s) of migrant workers in the Kingdom after the Nitaqat restrictions have been implemented * Issues with the current sponsorship/kafala residency system, and the potential for expanding long-term residency rights to migrants * Irregular migration, refugees, and amnesty in Saudi Arabia, and forced migration (into or out of the Kingdom) * Identifying push and pull factors that influence migration policy change in Saudi Arabia * The impact of the recent changes in residency rights for children of Saudi Arabian mothers on potential citizenship law changes for them and those born in Saudi Arabia of non Saudi Arabian parents

We are also accepting suggestions for other Saudi Arabian migration themes we can address. If you have any suggestions for topics or speakers, or would like further information, please contact Arwa Aulaqi at [log in to unmask]

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1 See
http://www.iom.int/cms/en/sites/iom/home/about-migration/facts--figures-1/middle-east.html 

2 See
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130304155347 


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