The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) under King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has assured the eight million-strong expatriate community, including over one million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), that labor laws in the Kingdom do not discriminate on the basis of nationality.

The KSA Ministry of Labor (MoL) headed by Minister Dr. Ghazi bin Abdulrahman Al-Gosaibi issued a 15-page handbook called "Guidebook for Expatriates Recruited for Work in Saudi Arabia."

The Kingdom is still the top destination of Filipino workers.

Meanwhile, in a demonstration of the Kingdom’s strong bilateral relations with the Philippines, King Abdullah has promptly sent a new envoy to the Philippines, Ambassador Abdullah Ibrahim Al Hassan, after the exit last year of Ambassador Muhammad Ameen Wali.

Al Hassan submitted his diplomatic credentials to President Arroyo on January 11, 2010.

An Arab News article last Sunday said the ministry revealed a very important decision that benefits the Kingdom’s foreign workers.

“One of the most important decisions which guarantees workers’ rights is a ministerial decision, which punishes any establishment or organization that delays payment of salaries to workers. Article 1 of the decision calls for a ban on those establishments, which delay the payment of workers’ salaries for two months from recruiting workers for one year. Furthermore, the penalties increase with the duration of the period of non-payment of salary,” the Saudi labor ministry said.

A Royal Decree has also been issued that punishes human trafficking with 15 years in prison, a fine of one million Saudi riyal, or both.

The ministry made clear human trafficking is against the laws, values and genuine principles of the Kingdom that are based on the Shari’ah (Islamic Law).