Huroob is an Arabic word used for a worker who is reported to the Ministry in Saudi Arabia by his sponsor that he/she is absent from work. This is the most undesired situation for an expatriate in Saudi Arabia.
Once an expatriate worker is on Huroob, it means his Iqama is cancelled. His stay in Saudi has now become illegal. He will be sent back home by deportation centres with a 5-year ban (normally) to come back to KSA.
Also read, How to Check Iqama Expiry
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Why a Sponsor Does Huroob?
There are well set of rules and regulations to work in Saudi Arabia set by ministers in Saudi Arabia to control huge expatriates better. These rules are good for both a worker and the sponsor as well. A sponsor has to make it clear to follow the labour rules as well.
If a worker violates labour laws, a sponsor should report like a runaway worker; otherwise, he will be penalized. The punishment to sponsor non-reporting is 5000 SAR for the first time, 10,000 for the second, and 15000 for the third time, including one month of imprisonment.
Huroob Status at MOL
Ministry of Labour – MOL has an online portal to facilitate its residents from checking about huroob easily.
I will explain the steps but make sure 100% confirmation can only get from Jawazat as sometimes systems are not updated.
Step – 1: First of all, open the Ministry Of Labor by clicking here MOL Portal
Step – 2: Here, you have three options: Border No., Iqama & Passport No.
Step – 3: We will see through the Iqama number, so enter your 10-digit Iqama number as in the below snip.
Step – 4: Enter the Captcha and press بحث
Step – 5: If you see the result like below, then you are good to go. You are not on huroob.
Step – 6: But if you see the result like below, then you are in trouble.
Huroob Status at MOI
You can also get an indication from Absher Account by following the steps.
Step – 1: Go to this Absher.sa web portal by clicking here Absher.sa
Step – 2: Log in to your account. You must have an account to check that status.
Step – 3: Once login goes to Dashboard, as you can see in the below picture.
Step – 4: Log in to your account. You must have an account to check that status.
Step – 5: You will see More Details on the left side, as indicated below. Click here.
Step – 6: Now, in Personal Information at the top, you will see your status. If it is Yes, then you are in good shape. If No, then you are Absent from work means a Huroob applied by your sponsor.
Note: For Domestic workers, these methods are not applicable, and they need to check at Jawazat. Also, for all other workers, as stated earlier, you can get confirmed status from Jawazat.
Read More: Ways to find Kafeel name & ID
Video Guide
You can watch the video here on the New Ministry of Labour website
How to Remove Huroob Status?
Yes, you can remove Huroob by the following methods;
- Request Your Kafeel: The best way to deal with the situation is to request you kafeel and settle the issues within 15 days of Huroob imposed. After 15 days, it is hard to get this done.
- Ministry of Labor: You can seek help if you think you are right and the sponsor wants to grab End service benefits.
- Surrender to Police: You can go to the police station and ask them to deport you.
- Find a Lawyer: You can find any agent o lawyer who can help you settle the issues, but the fee may be high.
The best is to settle the issues with your kafeel at any cost.
FAQ’s About Haroob
Why is Haroob not a good thing in Saudi Arabia?
The reasons are below that once an expatriate got an huroob then;
- Iqama is voided (cancelled) immediately.
- He cannot work anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
- He/she is not become illegal to stay in KSA.
- End service benefits are lost.
- He will be sent home by Tharheels – Deportation centres.
- A ban of a minimum of 5 years to return on a work visa
Who will pay the travelling expenses in Huroob case?
Employers’ expenses if he is working his own then by himself.
What are the other names of Huroob?
Huroof, Absent from Work, Absconde, Runaways, etc.
Can an Employer misuse of this rule to avoid end service benefits?
Yes, it was reported, and hence to put the huroob an employee is not that simple at all. First, he has to prove the runaway in court. A minimum run away period is 30 days. The same employee can contact a report for the delay in salary, mistreatment, etc.
What does Saudi Labor Law say about Huroob?
It says that An employer (sponsor) may not terminate the employment contract without an award, advance notice or indemnity except in the few cases, and provided that he gives the worker a chance to state his reasons for objecting the termination.