UAE Legal NewsSaudi authorities have intensified their enforcement efforts, launching a nationwide sweep that has placed over 40,000 expatriates under legal scrutiny for violations of residency, labor, and border security regulations.
Between February 27 and March 5, inspection campaigns led by the Ministry of Interior uncovered 20,749 infractions. Residency violations topped the list with 13,871 cases, followed by 3,517 border security breaches and 3,361 labor-related offenses.
Authorities also thwarted unauthorized border crossings, detaining 1,051 individuals attempting to enter Saudi Arabia illegally. Among them, 43% were Yemeni, 54% Ethiopian, and the remaining 3% from other nations. Meanwhile, 90 individuals were caught trying to exit the Kingdom unlawfully.
The crackdown extended beyond border enforcement, leading to the arrest of 12 individuals accused of facilitating illegal residency through transportation, employment, or sheltering of undocumented individuals.
Currently, 40,173 expatriates—35,862 men and 4,311 women—are undergoing legal proceedings. Of these, 32,375 have been instructed to obtain travel documents from their embassies, 2,576 are making departure arrangements, and 10,024 have already been repatriated.
Saudi authorities have issued a stark warning: anyone found assisting in illegal entry, transport, or housing of violators faces severe penalties, including up to 15 years in prison, fines reaching SR1 million, and the confiscation of involved assets. These actions are classified as serious criminal offenses.
The ministry has urged residents to report any suspected violations, providing hotlines for swift intervention in different regions of the Kingdom.
