HR Ministry: 135,600 absconding workers transferred to new establishments

According to the Saudi Gazette, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has successfully facilitated the transfer of 135,596 workers previously registered as 'absent from work' into new legal employment establishments. This milestone, reached by the end of the second quarter of 2026, is part of the government's broader 'Integration into the Labor Market' initiative.

The program is designed to allow undocumented workers to rectify their legal status by transitioning to new employers, thereby formalizing their contractual relationships within the Kingdom. By providing a pathway for these individuals to enter the legal workforce, the ministry aims to reduce the number of undocumented laborers and improve the overall regulation of the labor market.

Beyond addressing the status of individual workers, the initiative is expected to alleviate the administrative burden on the ministry by reducing the volume of labor-related lawsuits and absence reports. Officials noted that the program also serves to help local establishments better access available talent, ultimately fostering a more stable and transparent contractual environment for both employers and employees across Saudi Arabia.