Law on nationalising jobs in private sector
Determines the nationalised jobs in each of the work sectors, in light of the nationalisation plans and nationalisation rates in each of them.
Determines the nationalised jobs in each of the work sectors, in light of the nationalisation plans and nationalisation rates in each of them.
The labor authorities in Morocco have launched a short-term work authorization (STWA) which allows foreign nationals to conduct employment activities, including hands-on work, for up to three months for an employer in Morocco. The STWA will make it easier for foreign nationals to perform urgent, short-term work for an employer in Morocco, as the administrative requirements are less cumbersome than obtaining a long-term work permit.
The law specifies that migrants who do not benefit from the provisions of the Social Protection Law, are entitled to a gratuity of not less than a basic salary for each year of service. Previously, the gratuity was half a month’s wage for each year for the first three years and a month’s wage per year for every subsequent year. The new labor law explicitly mandates a 60-day period during which the employer holds the responsibility to arrange the repatriation of migrant workers. Previously, the law noted no timeframe for repatriation. Importantly, migrant workers who initiate legal proceedings to recover their dues from the employer now have to retain the right to stay in Oman until the claim is decided upon. All costs associated with staying in Oman in such cases are borne by the worker.
This law significantly expands protection to migrant workers in Oman, who represent over three quarters of the country’s working population. Migrant workers will be covered for employment injury, maternity and sickness under the same terms as national workers. For the first time in the region, a national provident fund will also be established to administer end-of-service benefits to migrant workers.
Saudi Arabia issued a new law, comprising 33 articles, for domestic workers on 2 October 2023, which will come into effect a (Hijri) year from its issuance on 21 September 2024. Key reforms include an explicit ban on passport confiscation, the establishment of maximum working hours, and the introduction of occupational safety and health regulations for the first time. The new law introduces a new section that outlines specific situations in which domestic workers have the right to terminate their contract while still preserving their entitlements.
The country has abolished its 2016 FlexiPermit system, which allowed expatriates to enter and reside in the country for two years without a predetermined employer.
Employers are prohibited from confiscating employees’ official documents and workers should not be forced to leave the country following the end of their work term. Employers shall bear the fees and expenses of recruitment and employment and shall not recover them directly or indirectly from the employee.
Amending the Decision concerning the categories of industries and economic activities in which workers are allowed to establish unions, included agricultural workers in the professions that can join the union of food industries, which is henceforth called the General Union of Water, Agriculture and Food Industries Workers. Domestic workers were also added to the professional categories covered by the Union of General Services and Free Professions.
The LMRA affirmed that the programme is being launched in cooperation with the private sector and will streamline the process of registering for an occupation. The new measures will link work permits to vocational and occupational standards to increase safety and protections in places of work.
On 17 October 2022, the Labour Market Regulatory Authority launched the Labour Registration Program in partnership with the private sector through Labour Registration Centers with the aim of providing a safe and balanced-work environment that preserves the rights of all parties and the society, enhancing the efforts to eliminate irregular workers and linking work permits to vocational standards and qualifications.