The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs announced that efforts are being exerted to repatriate Ethiopian nationals residing in Saudi Arabia without work and residence permission document.
Public relations and communication Director with the ministry, Girma Sheleme, told WMC that the Ethiopian government is striving to repatriate illegal Ethiopian migrants before the end of the 90 days of amnesty to evacuate foreign migrants declared by Saudi Arabia government.
According to Girma , the Ethiopian government is undertaking home to home campaign to register more Ethiopian illegal migrants in Saudi in collaboration with the Ethiopian Diaspora association.
So far, about 30,000 Ethiopian migrants have returned to their country and more than 82, 000 migrants have completed exit visa registration form, he stated.
Girma noted that government has opened seven registration centers for illegal migrants of Ethiopian nationals’ indifferent cities of Saudi in addition to its embassy of Ryad and consular office of Jidda.
The government is widely trying to convince illegal migrants through making awareness on possibility to change their livelihoods working within their own home country.
Furthermore, the Ethiopian airlines has discounted 50 percent price of travel ticket for Saudi returnees taking into account the current situation of the illegal migrants, he underscored.
The airline has commenced eight flights a day to Saudi and currently more than 1,000 migrants have returned to their home, he reiterated.
According to Girma , government is also allowed Saudi returnees to import 21 items of utensils free from tax in order to support the migrants from Saudi Arabia .
Girma indicated that government has established committees at different levels to rehabilitate Saudi returnees.
Preparations are underway to organize , train, provide loan , working and marketing places to engage Saudi returnees indifferent sectors, he underlined.
The Saudi Arabia government declared 90 days amnesty to deport undocumented migrants from its territory Walta learnt.