The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has confirmed that it would not be relented in applying the statutory penalties against the violators of Anti-Commercial Concealment Law in the field of telecommunication and its accessories, the Ministry stressed that it would implement inspection campaigns in various regions of the Kingdom to verify and check the compliance with the Ministry of Labor regulations, especially after the announced deadline by the said Ministry, pointing out that it would have joint coordination with the Ministry of Labor, Ministry of Municipal & rural Affairs, Ministry of Communication & Information Technology, on the application of the Ministerial Decree, stipulating that the "work in telecommunication activity and its accessories should be restricted only for Saudis."
The decision of Saudization of telecom jobs aims to create job opportunities for Saudi men and women, who wish to work in this activity, since the telecom activity provides appropriate financial income and job stability for workers in this field, besides maintaining this profession due to its importance from the military, social and economic point of view. Therefore stern measures and restrictions would be taken against the concealers, in accordance with the approved recommendations included in the minutes of meeting of the committees formed in that regards from the following Ministries: Municipal & Rural Affairs, Communications & Information Technology, on the application of the above mentioned Ministerial Decree.
MCI pointed out that the Commission of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would support the entrepreneurs in the telecom sector, to achieve partnership with the Ministries of Labor, Municipal & Rural Affairs, Communication & Information Technology, for Saudization of telecomm sector and its accessories, so that to implement the strategic view of supporting the private sector.
The aforementioned Ministries have granted the owners of telecom shops 90 days, as from 01.06.1437 H. to achieve Saudization by 50%, then the telecom sector to be fully under Saudization on 01.12.1437 H.
With regard to the implementation of the above mentioned Ministerial Decree, MCI would like to confirm its on-going endeavors to detect the violators of Anti-Commercial Concealment Law in the telecommunication sector, assuring that the penalties may reach to two years imprisonment, and a fine of SR one million on each offender, whether a citizen or a foreigner, besides deporting the foreigner to his country after the end of his sentence, also making defamation against violators, as well as shutting down the shop, and preventing the concealer from exercising the same business for five years.