RIYADH: The Ministry of Labor and Social Development’s electronic platform Musaned has made it easier for domestic workers to gain an e-visa — with instant approval once requirements are fulfilled.
Musaned is an integrated electronic system initiated by the ministry to facilitate procedures for the recruitment of domestic workers and to increase the level of protection of the rights of all parties.
In an exclusive interview with Arab News at the Saudi Recruitment, Labor and Support Services Forum and Exhibition (RALS 2019) in Riyadh, Ahmad Alangari, senior director of the Musaned program, said: “Musaned is the umbrella of all the programs, projects and initiatives that target improving the eco-system of the domestic labor sector in Saudi Arabia.”
There are three main areas of this domain within the domestic labor sector; first is pre-arrival of labor, second is the contractual process, and third is when the labor arrives in Saudi Arabia, Alangari said.
“When we first started looking at this issue in order to improve it we went directly to the second phase ... the contractual process because it has the biggest scope and what we did is basically automate the whole process, from manual to digital,” he said.
He explained that previously people would go to the government office for such services, including to apply for a visa.
“What we did is basically replaced this manual process with an automatic process with three components; first is the e-visa, second the e-contracting and the third e-Tawtheeq (attestation),” Alangari said. “We replaced the government offices or going physically to an office to apply for a visa. Now you can instantly get your visa 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
“When we started this service, we initially had a service to issue visas within 24 hours of receiving a request. Now we have launched a new update where you can get it instantly, if the required formalities are fulfilled,” he said.
“After you get approval, you can access the same portal or the Musaned app in order to contract with the service provider. We have all the accredited service providers listed with it and you can go and look for the one you want and complete the contractual process with that office online without going there in person,” he said.
He said e-Tawtheeq was a component that provided access for offices in the Kingdom to contract with offices in the countries sending the labor and to complete the process through Musaned.
Saudi Arabia’s Musaned platform makes e-visa easy for domestic workers
Saudi Arabia’s Musaned platform makes e-visa easy for domestic workers
- Integrated electronic platform provides instant approval
Saudi Cabinet condemns ‘blatant’ Iranian aggression; affirms Kingdom’s right to respond to threats
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has warned it reserves the “full right” to respond to Iranian aggression following a series of “blatant and cowardly” strikes targeting the capital and the Eastern Province.
The warning came during a late-night Cabinet session on Tuesday, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman via videoconference, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
During the session, the Cabinet “reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s full solidarity with the brotherly countries whose territories were subjected to blatant Iranian aggression”, signaling a united front against regional threats.
The session followed a dramatic escalation of hostilities, including a direct drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh.
Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, confirmed that while air defenses intercepted multiple threats, the embassy compound sustained a “limited fire and minor material damage.”
General Al-Malki further announced that Saudi forces successfully intercepted and destroyed eight additional drones targeting the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj early Tuesday morning.
In a sharp rebuke of the embassy strike, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) cited a flagrant violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
“The repetition of this flagrant Iranian behavior... will push the region toward further escalation,” the Ministry stated, underscoring that these provocations occurred despite Riyadh’s explicit policy of not allowing its airspace or territory to be used as a launchpad for strikes against Iran.
Global condemnation and solidarity
The Cabinet expressed deep appreciation for the wave of international support as world leaders condemned Tehran’s “indiscriminate” behavior.
In a joint show of force, the US and GCC member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) along with Jordan stood united, labeling the strikes a “dangerous escalation” and reaffirming a collective right to self-defense.
Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and India. — including Prime Minister Narendra Modi — voiced strong solidarity with the Kingdom. The UK government confirmed its forces are engaged in “defensive actions” to maintain regional stability.
Amid the heightened military tension, the Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom’s hospitality efforts for GCC citizens currently stranded at Saudi airports due to regional airspace closures. The crown prince reaffirmed that the state would mobilize all capabilities to support brotherly nations in any measures they take to restore regional peace and stability.
