RIYADH – Saudi Arabia has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration, deporting thousands of foreign nationals in recent months to enforce labor laws and protect local jobs.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 250,000 migrant workers were deported over the last three months for residing in the Kingdom without legal status.
The nationwide campaign, launched on November 4, targets nearly nine million migrant laborers after years of weak enforcement of immigration and employment regulations.
Officials revealed that a large number of deportees were Ethiopian nationals, many of whom reportedly entered the country illegally through the southern border with Yemen.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign workforce mainly includes nationals from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Egypt, and Yemen, making the operation one of the largest in recent years.
Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities confirmed that 5,033 Pakistani nationals, mostly involved in begging, were deported from Saudi Arabia alone.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi disclosed in a written reply to the Pakistan National Assembly that a total of 5,402 Pakistanis have been deported since January 2024.
These deportations involved Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, with another 369 Pakistanis detained for begging in other countries.
Saudi officials say the crackdown aims to create more employment opportunities for local citizens while strengthening compliance with labor and immigration laws
