Rajasthan Mission on Skill and Livelihoods

PRE DEPARTURE TRAINING MANUAL

For Intending Emigrants

SAUDI ARBIA KUWAIT BAHRAIN

Courtesy by: Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India, Akbar Bhavan, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi-110021, Telephone No 91-11-24197900 Website: http://www.moia.gov.in

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GENERAL INFORMATION FOR OVERSEAS MIGRANTS Definition Emigration, in this context, means the departure of any person from India with a view to taking up any employment (whether or not under an agreement or other arrangements to take up such employment, with or without the assistance of a registered Recruiting Agent or employer) in any country or place outside India. The Present Situation Every year hundreds of thousands of Indians emigrate in search of job. The effect of economic liberalization in India is visible on labour migration too. One of the striking features of labour migration from India is that more than 90 percent of the total outflow is to the Middle East. The Emigration Act The Emigration Act, 1983, seeks to safeguard the interests and ensure the welfare of emigrants. Only the recruiting agents registered with the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs are eligible as per the Act to conduct the business of recruitment for overseas employment and they are required to obtain proper Registration Certificates (RC) from the Protector General of Emigrants. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, administers the Emigration Act through the eight offices of Protector of Emigrants (POEs). The offices are located at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram. Service Charge No recruiting agent shall collect from the worker the charges more than the equivalent of his ages for forty-five days as offered under the employment contract, subject to a maximum of twenty thousand rupees, in respect of the services provided and shall issue a receipt to that worker for the amount collected in this regard. Emigration Check Required (ECR) Category Categories of persons, whose passports have been endorsed as “Emigration Check Required” (ECR), if intending to travel to an ECR country (Listed on page 3) for employment purposes, are required to obtain emigration from the Protector of Emigrants (POEs) either directly or through the recruitment agents or through the employer concerned. Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) Category Section 22 of the Emigration Act, 1983 provides that no citizen of India shall migrate unless he obtains authorization from the concerned POE in the prescribed manner and form. However, with a view to facilitating the movement of the workers, 13 categories of persons (listed later in this chapter) have been exempted from this requirement and have been placed under “Emigration Check Not Required‟ (ECNR) category. Such persons are not required to obtain any emigration clearance from the offices of POEs before seeking employment abroad.

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Countries with ECR / ECNR status There are total of 175 countries (called as ECNR countries) do not require emigration clearance, whereas 17 countries are listed as emigration check required countries, they are listed below: List of Countries for which Emigration Clearance is Required (ECR) 1. Afghanistan 2. Bahrain 3. Indonesia 4. Iraq 5. Jordan 6. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 7. Kuwait 8. Lebanon 9. Libya 10. Malaysia 11. Oman 12. Qatar 13. Sudan 14. Syria 15. Thailand 16. United Arab Emirates 17. Yemen List of Persons/Categories of Workers in whose case Emigration Check is Not Required 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

8. 9.

10. 11. 12.

All holders of Diplomatic/ Official Passports All Gazetted Government Servants All Income-tax payers (including agricultural income tax payers) in their individual capacity All professional degree holders, such as Doctors holding MBBS degrees or Degrees in Ayurveda or Homeopathy; Accredited journalists; Engineers; Chartered Accountants; Lecturers; Teachers; Scientists; Advocates etc. Spouses and dependent children of category of persons listed from (2) to (4). Persons holding class 10 qualification or higher degrees. Seamen who are in possession of CDC or Sea Cadets, Desk Cadets (i) who have passed final examination of three year B.Sc. Nautical Sciences Courses at T S Chanakya, Mumbai; and (ii) who have undergone three months pre-sea training at any of the government approved Training Institutes such as T S Chanakya, T S Rehman, T S Jawahar, MTI (SCI) and NIPM, Chennai after 4 production of identity cards issued by the Shipping Master, Mumbai/ Kolkata/ Chennai Persons holding permanent immigration visas, such as the visas of UK, USA and Australia. Persons possessing two years‟ diploma from any institute recognized by the national Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) or State Council of Vocational Training (SCVT) or persons holding three years‟ diploma/equivalent degree from institutions like polytechnics recognized by Central/State Governments. Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947. All persons above the age of 50 years. All persons who have been staying abroad for more than three years (the period of three years could be either in one stretch or broken) and spouses.

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13.

Children below 18 years of age.

Guidelines for Emigration Clearance The procedure for emigration clearance has been simplified. Emigration clearance to individuals/groups is granted on the same day on which the application is made at any of the offices of the Protector of Emigrants (POE). Procedure for Emigration Clearance 1)

2)

3) 4)

Emigration clearance will be made on the passport when the individual approaches either directly or through a registered Recruiting Agent or through the employer concerned. In cases in which the profession indicated in visa does not tally with the profession indicated in the passport, an affidavit may be obtained from the Recruiting Agent/ Employer concerned. No clearance may be given for Iraq unless specifically authorized by Indian Embassy in Iraq. No emigration clearance shall be granted for recruiting Indian nationals for any Foreign Employer placed in „Prior Approval Category‟ (PAC). Applying for Emigration Clearance

1) 2) 3) 4)

1) 2)

3) 4) 5) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The application for emigration clearance should be made in the prescribed form with prescribed particulars by the applicant directly or through a Recruiting Agent or through the employer concerned to the POE. Documents required for Semi-Skilled Workers Semi-skilled individuals who seek emigration clearance directly from the Protectors of Emigrants (and not through Recruiting Agents) are required to produce the following documents in original for scrutiny and return: Passport valid for a minimum period of six months with valid visa. Employment contract from foreign employer duly attested by the Indian Mission. Challan towards deposit of prescribed fee. Valid Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Policy Documents required for Unskilled Workers Unskilled workers and women (not below 30 years of age) seeking employment abroad as housemaids/ domestic workers shall continue to furnish (in original) the following documents at the time of obtaining emigration clearance: Passport valid for a minimum period of six months with valid Visa. Work agreement from the foreign employer duly attested by the Indian Mission and signed by employer and employee or Permission letter from the concerned Indian Mission/ Post. Challan towards deposit of prescribed fee. Valid Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Policy Approval of the Ministry, if the female worker is below 30 years of age. Documents required for Emigration Clearance (Through Project Exporter) Valid Passport (Valid for at least 6 months) Valid visa in English language. Permit issued by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, with effective date of validity. Valid Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Policy Valid Bank Guarantee The Protector of Emigrants (POE) shall, after satisfying themselves about the accuracy of the particulars mentioned in the application and in the other documents submitted

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along with the application, grants emigration clearance in the prescribed manner and form. In case there is any deficiency, the POE shall intimate the same by order in writing to the applicant or, as the case may be, the Recruiting Agent or employer, through whom the applications have been made about the deficiencies and require him to make good such deficiencies within such time as may be specified in the order or reject the application. Details of the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) The Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) was started in 2003. The PBBY was upgraded as the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana, 2006 to provide broader coverage to the emigrant workers. The scheme has been further modified in 2008. The emigrant workers get a minimum insurance cover of Rs. 10 lakhs (instead of Rs. 5 lakhs) and the policy will be for the period of employment contract, i.e. either 2 years or 3 years as the case may be. The reduced premium along with other benefits has been made effective from 01.04.08. A comparative statement of PBBY 2006 and PBBY 2008 is as under: Item PBBY 2006 PBBY 2008 Minimum sum for which insured under PBBY Rs. 5.00 Lakhs Rs. 10.00 Lakhs Hospitalization (Medical Expenses) Covering injuries / sickness / ailment / diseases Rs. 50,000/- Rs. 75,000/- Repatriation covers for medical unfit Actual one-way economy class air fare Actual one-way economy class air fare Family Hospitalization in India Rs. 25,000/- Rs. 50,000/- Maternity Rs. 20,000/- Rs. 25,000/- Attendant Actual oneway economy class air fare Actual one-way economy class air fare Legal Expenses Rs. 25,000/- Rs. 30,000/- Actual Premium to be charged (without any hidden costs) Rs. 475/- for the contract period Rs. 275/-for 2 years policy period. Rs. 375/- for 3 years policy period. Item Minimum sum for which insured under PBBY Hospitalization (Medical Expenses) Covering injuries / sickness / ailment / diseases Repatriation covers for medical unfit Family Hospitalization in India Maternity Attendant Legal Expenses Actual Premium to be charged (without any hidden costs)

PBBY 2006 Rs. 5.00 Lakhs

PBBY 2008 Rs. 10.00 Lakhs

Rs. 50,000/-

Rs. 75,000/-

Actual one-way economy class air fare Rs. 25,000/Rs. 20,000/Actual one-way economy class air fare Rs. 25,000/Rs. 475/- for the contract period

Actual one-way economy class air fare Rs. 50,000/Rs. 25,000/Actual one-way economy class air fare Rs. 30,000/Rs. 275/-for 2 years policy period. Rs. 375/- for 3 years policy period.

This policy is available from undernoted Insurance Companies:1. 2. 3.

Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. United Insurance Company Ltd. National Insurance Company Ltd.

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4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

ICICI Lombard. Star Health & Allied Insurance Co. Ltd. IFFCO Tokyo Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd. Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd.

Claim Procedure Insured worker is supposed to have the copy of PBBY insurance policy with him. Name of the nominee is so mentioned on the policy, in view of the eventuality of death of insured. In the event of claim, insured worker/claimant has to lodge a claim under the policy, with the respective insurance company‟s office wherefrom the policy was issued, if not specifically provided by the insurance company otherwise. While doing so, claimant has to indicate the policy number and details of accident. In the event of death, nominee has to lodge the claim. After intimation of reported claim, insurance company intimates the insured/claimant the details of documents required to settle the claim. After processing such requisite documents, claim amount is paid to the insured worker/claimant, as the case may be. Fate of Indian Nationals with ‘Visit visa’ Some companies may be bringing people on „Visit Visa‟ to meet their urgent manpower requirements for short-term work. Under the appropriate Saudi Laws, companies are not permitted to bring workers on Visit visa. However, short term Business work visas are permitted for the skilled and highly specialized categories of workers. In case the employer needs them for further period; employer must arrange employment visa for such workers. Visit visa is different from employment visa and it is not covered by the labour laws of Saudi Arabia . Thus, the holder of visit visa do not have right to work. Employment Contract Indian workers are advised to obtain written work contract duly signed by the sponsor / employer company before their travel to Saudi Arabia. Essential terms for a contract The contract should contain all-important terms of employment as per 15(2) of Emigration Rules. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)

Period of employment/place of employment; Wages and other conditions of service; Free food or food allowance provision; Free accommodation; Provisions in regard to disposal/transportation of dead body of the emigrant worker in case of death; (vi) Working hours, overtime allowance, other working conditions, leave and social security benefits as per local labour laws; (vii) To-and-fro air-passage at the employers‟ cost; and (viii) Mode of settlement of disputes; Obtaining copy of the contract while in India As per the instructions of the Government of India, recruitment agents are expected to provide a copy of employment contract to each worker before his/her departure. To safeguard his/her own interest, an individual worker has to demand from the recruitment agent a copy of the duly signed contract before departure. Complaints may be lodged against defaulting agencies with the nearest Protector of Emigrants. Page No. 6 Manual Report Pre departure training

Important Documents In addition to all the originals, copies of the following documents may be retained with the employee. 1. Employment contract, 2. Passport, 3. Visa and 4. Certificates of educational qualification NOTE: In Saudi Arabia, sponsor/employer keep original passports and employment contracts with them. However, workers must keep copies of these documents with them. Guidelines for those Emigrating through RAs Be sure of your Recruiting Agent. Ask him to show his Registration Certificate issued by the Protector General of Emigrants, Govt. of India. Do not deal with him unless he is registered and the registration is valid. In case of doubt, check with any of the offices of the Protectors of Emigrants (POEs) or the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE). DO NOT deal with sub-agents as they are not permitted under the Emigration Act, 1983 and Rules. Ask the Recruiting Agent to show you the Demand Letter and Power of Attorney from the foreign employer. Also carefully go through the Employment Contract detailing the salary/wage levels and other service conditions. DO NOT pay the Agent anything other than the service charge more than the equivalent of his wages for forty-five days as offered in the employment contract, subject to a maximum of twenty thousand. Make payments preferably by Demand Draft or Cheque and obtain a receipt. Complaints of overcharging or cheating can be lodged with the concerned POE or with the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE). Check before Departure Ensure that the validity your Passport is not less than six months. A valid Visa must be either stamped on or accompany your Passport. Always keep a photocopy of your Passport and Visa. It is advised that workers also keep a copy of their passport and visa with their family members in India prior to their departure. You must possess a copy of the Employment Contract signed by you and your foreign employer duly attested by the registered recruiting agent. A copy also be kept with the family members in India. Insist on a copy of Employment Contract in English duly authenticated by the recruiting agent. Also keep a copy of contact details and address of the recruiting agent. Open a Savings Bank N.R.E. Account in one of the Banks in India to enable you to send your remittances from abroad. Get familiar with the local labour laws, working and living conditions of Saudi Arabia. Keep with you complete address of the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah. In the Country of your Employment

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SAUDI ARBIA Do’s and Don’ts In Saudi Arabia, under the local laws, one should always keep his/her Iquama with him/her. “Iquama” (identity cards) are issued by the Ministry of Interior. Labour cards are issued by the Ministry of Labour. Both Iquama and Labour cards are issued to all expatriates workers soon after they settle down on their jobs. Saudi Arabia normally does not allow change in job sponsorship. Change of job/sponsorship is permitted only after two years of continuous work with the original employer/sponsor and with his written consent. Further, only a limited category of workers are allowed change of sponsorship. The emigrant workers must get their work contract prepared in both English and Arabic They should not part with their passports and copies of the work contracts. Note: In Saudi Arabia work contract are prepared in Arabic only. Passports are kept by the Employer/Sponsor. Non-payment or delayed payment of wages or any other problem with the employer should be reported directly to the Ministry of Labour of Saudi Arabia. Under the Saudi Labour laws, Ministry of Labour is the only authorized authority to redress grievances of the expatriate workers excluding domestic workers, farm workers and fisherman. In case of difficulty, the matter to be brought to the notice of the Indian missions to seek their assistance. · Workers are given gratuity equivalent to 21 days‟ wages for every completed year of service. Obtain the Labour Card and IQUAMA (identity Card) as early as possible after arrival in Saudi Arabia. DO NOT part with your Passport and copy of Employment Contract signed by you in India. Note: Passport is kept by the Employer/Sponsor in Saudi Arabia. · DO NOT sign any other Employment Contract or any blank paper. Note: In Saudi Arabia, a new work contract in Arabic only is signed with the worker after his arrival which is duly countersigned by the Ministry of Labour. This contract is treated as the valid document with regard to salary and all other terms related to employment. The contract signed in India between the worker and the employer has no legal sanctity under the Saudi Labour laws; the worker should ensure that the terms and conditions signed in the work contract after his arrival are not different from what he signed in India prior to his departure. DO NOT strike work or resort to agitations. These are illegal under Saudi Arabia‟s labour laws. You could be arrested, imprisoned and deported. Verification of the genuineness of visa/an employment document The matter may be referred to the Embassy of India in Riyadh or the Consulate General of India in Jeddah if necessary, with full particulars of the sponsor company (Name, Address, Telephone and Fax No.) which issued the visa, along with Passport particulars. Customs Formalities Personal baggage – Customs checking is VERY STRICT. Kindly co-operate with the Customs staff at the International Airport. Ensure that you do not carry any narcotics or alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. Its consumption is a serious offence attracting severe punishment or deportation.

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DO NOT accept any unchecked parcel from any one. If you have to take a parcel for someone, check thoroughly that it does not contain alcohol or narcotics or any other forbidden material. Otherwise, it may land you in serious difficulties on arrival in Saudi Arabia. Precautions You must make and keep a photocopy of all the pages of your Passport. DO NOT lose your Passport or its photocopy. A copy of the passport also be kept with the family members in India. In case you misplace your Passport, inform the nearest Indian Mission immediately giving them details, i.e. Passport number, date and place of issue, your name and date of your entry in Saudi Arabia. You can give these details only if you keep a photocopy of your Passport. DO NOT lose your copy of Employment Contract. Make photocopies and keep them always with you and also ensure that a copy of your work contract remains with your family in India. You must have a full name, address, telephone/fax number of your foreign employer, before you leave India. If you have difficulty in locating your foreign employer, contact the nearest Indian Mission immediately. DO NOT accept temporary or permanent employment with another person or establishment other than the sponsoring Company/ establishment/ person. Employment with other than your original sponsor is strictly prohibited and attracts severe punishment. · Before the Visa or Employment Contract expires, get them renewed. If you are returning to India for a short while during the tenure of your Employment Contract abroad, ensure that the validity period of Visa does not expire before you return to Saudi Arabia. · Ensure also that your Passport is valid. Get it revalidated from the concerned Indian Mission abroad or from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in India, at least two months before its expiry. BAHRAIN Do’s and Don’t Do’s In Bahrain, laws demand that you must not move about in public without your CPR card. CPR cards are identity cards issued to all expatriates soon after they settle down on their jobs. Bahrain does allow change in job sponsorship. However, it is practice that such change is allowed only after completion of initial contract period and after following proper mobility procedures as prescribed by LMRA.  The emigrant workers must get their service agreements prepared in both English and Arabic. They should not part with their passports and copies of the service contracts.  Non-payment or delayed payment of wages could be reported to Indian missions, for redressal of grievances.  Workers are given gratuity equivalent to 15 days’ wages for every completed year of service after completion of initial contract period of two years. Verification of the genuineness of visa/an employment documents The matter may be referred to the Embassy of India in the destination country, if necessary, with full particulars of the sponsor company (Name, Address, Telephone and Fax No.) which issued the visa, along with Passport particulars. Website of the Embassy of Bahrain has a pre-departure advisory, which should be followed for verification of employment.

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KUWAIT:–  Obtain a Resident Permit or Identity Card, Labour Card or Iquama.  DO NOT part with your Passport and copy of Employment Contract signed by you in India.  DO NOT sign any other Employment Contract or any blank paper.  DO NOT strike work or resort to agitations. These are illegal under Kuwait’s labour laws. You could be arrested, imprisoned and also deported.  AVOID all contacts that may result in AIDS – a dreaded disease.  Keep in touch with the nearest Indian Mission and report any complaints about nonpayment or delayed payment of wages or compensations or any other problem to the Indian Mission. Customs Formalities  Personal baggage – Customs checking is VERY STRICT. Kindly co-operate with the Customs staff at the International Airport.  Ensure that you do not carry any narcotics or alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. Its consumption is a serious offence attracting severe punishment.  DO NOT accept any unchecked parcel from any one. If you have to take a parcel for someone, check thoroughly that it does not contain alcohol or narcotics. Otherwise, it may land you in serious difficulties on arrival in the country of employment. Precautions  You must make and keep a photocopy of all the pages of your Passport. DO NOT lose your Passport or its photocopy.  In case you misplace your Passport, inform the nearest Indian Mission immediately giving them details, i.e. Passport number, date and place of issue, your name and date of your entry in to the country of employment. You can give these details only if you keep a photocopy of your Passport.  DO NOT lose your copy of Employment Contract. Make photocopies and keep them with you always.  You must have a full name, address, telephone/fax number of your foreign employer, before you leave India.  If you have difficulty in locating your foreign employer, contact the nearest Indian Mission immediately.  DO NOT accept temporary or permanent employment with another person or establishment other than the sponsoring Company/ establishment/ person. Employment with persons other than your original sponsor is strictly prohibited and attracts severe punishment.  Before the Visa or Employment Contract expires, get them renewed. If you are returning to India for a short while during the tenure of your Employment Contract abroad, ensure that the validity period of Visa does not expire before you return to the country of employment.  Ensure also that your Passport is valid. Get it revalidated from the concerned Indian Mission abroad or from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in India, at least two months before its expiry.  To register with the Embassy within one month of arrival in Kuwait

Information Available on the Website of MOIA _ Revised emigration requirements _ Recruiting agents having suspended RC _ Online emigration clearance system _ List of Registered recruiting agents with valid RC at poeonline.gov.in _ Internal watch-list of recruiting agents _ Recruiting agents having cancelled RC

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_ _ _ _ _ _ –

Foreign employers on PAC Project Exporters at poeonline.gov.in Emigration Act, 1983 Emigration Rules, 1983 Pravsi Bharatiya Bima Yojana Redressal of Public Grievances Information on Recruiting Agents and Black Listed Foreign Employers Guidelines for recruiting agents/guidelines for prospective Emigrant workers.

Important Contacts Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Embassy of India, Riyadh B-1, Diplomatic Quarter, P.B.No.94387, Riyadh-11693, SaudiArabia. Telephone : 00-966-1-4884144, 4884691, 4884692, 4834254, 4884697, 4881982 (24 hour Help Line) Fax : 00-966-1-4884750 (Chancery) 4804764 (Commercial) E-Mail : [email protected] (Ambassador’s Office) [email protected] (DCM’s Office); [email protected] (passport); [email protected] (Community Welfare); www.indianembassy.org.sa (website)

Consulate General of India, Jeddah Bldg. of M/s Bughshan & Bros. Madinah Road, Near Al Mira Carpets P B No. 952 Jeddah 21421 Telephone : 00 966 2 6520104 / 112, 6517581 Fax : 00 966 2 6533964 Email : cg @cgijeddah.org (CG’s Office) [email protected] (Welfare Section) [email protected] (Passport Section)

Bahrain Embassy of India

The Consular Wing

Building 182, Road 2608, Area 326 Ghudaibiya, P.O. Box No. 26106, Adliya, Bahrain Ph : +973-712683,712649, 712785,713832 Fax : +973-715527

(Ground Floor of the Embassy building) Building No. 182, Road 2608, Area 326, Ghudaibiya, P.O. Box 26106, Adliya, Bahrain

Enquiry General Enquiry +973 17712683 Second Secretary (Consular & Labour) +973 17714209 (Direct) Attache (Consular) +973 17712793 (Direct)

Kuwait Embassy of India, Kuwait City Diplomatic Enclave, Arabian Gulf Street, P.O. Box No. 1450 Safat, 13015-Safat, Kuwait. Telephone : 00-965-22530600, 22540612 / 13 Fax : 00-965-22546958 (Amb); 22571192 (General) E-Mail : [email protected] (Amb); [email protected] (Counsellor Lab & Cul); [email protected] (FS Consular/HOC), [email protected] [FS (P&C)], Website : www.indembkwt.org

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SAUDI ARABIA Location Saudi Arabia is the largest state in the Arabian Peninsula, with the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba on the West and the Persian Gulf on the East. The Kingdom occupies 80 percent of the Arabian Peninsula and includes the world‟s largest continuous sand desert known as the Empty Quarter. Saudi Arabia, with an area of 2.24 million sq. km, is the 14th largest country in the world. It has boundaries with Iraq (814 km); Jordan (782 km); Kuwait (222km); Oman (676 km); Qatar (60km); UAE (457 km) and Yemen (1458 km). From the Western coastal region, the land rises from sea level to a peninsula-long mountain range, beyond which are plateaus. The South-west region has the greenest and the most attractive climate in the Kingdom. The East is rocky or sandy low-land that extends to the Gulf. Extreme heat and drought are the main characteristics of the country in summer, when temperatures of over 50º Celsius are occasionally experienced, while during winter frost and even snow may occur in the interior and the mountain regions. Winter temperatures vary between 8 and 20 degrees C in Riyadh and interior cities, while they range from 19 degree C and 29º C in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, and other costal areas. The annual rainfall is as low as 100 millimeters, though sudden downpours followed by flash floods is not uncommon. The rainfall season is normally between January and May. History Saudi Arabia has been the homeland of the Arabs. Islam took its birth here in the 7th century. Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam, are located in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia owes its present formation to King Abdul Aziz Al- Saud (1882-1953), who established the modern Kingdom in 1932. Since 1953, Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the sons of King Abdul Aziz. The present ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, came to the throne in 2005. Economy Oil was discovered in 1936 and commercial production began after the World War II. Saudi Arabia is the world‟s major producer of oil and has the world‟s largest proven hydrocarbon reserves (25%). The petroleum sector accounts for about 75 percent of budget revenues and 90 percent of export earnings. About 40 percent of the GDP comes from the private sector. Saudi Arabia joined the WTO in 2005. In 2005, Saudi Arabia had a per capita income of US$ 12,900. The national currency is the Saudi Riyal (SR), which is made up of 100 halalah. The exchange rate is fixed at SR 3.74 per US dollar, which is roughly equal to Indian Rupees The main natural resources of the country are: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold and copper. The country imports machinery, industrial equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles and textiles. Saudi Arabia has a population of 28 million. The major religion is Islam and the main language is Arabic, though English is widely spoken and understood.

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Foreign Labour There are over 8 million expatriate workers in the country, mainly from South and Southeast Asian countries. Indians are the largest expatriate community, numbering over two million. About 70% Indian expatriate workers fall under the blue collar category, while 20% are professional and 10% white collar non-professional. Other major expatriatecommunities are: Pakistan – 12.5 lakhs; Bangladesh -15 lakhs; Egypt-12.5 lakhs; Philippines -12 lakhs; Indonesia-10 lakhs; Sri Lanka -5 lakhs. Labour Laws Labour laws apply to all expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia, except domestic servants, farm workers and fishermen. The Ministry of Labour has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the labour laws. Complaints can be lodged with the Ministry of Labour if an employer terminates a work contract without valid reason. The aggrieved party is entitled to an indemnity to be assessed by the competent commission based on the nature of work, period of service, the workman‟s age, the pay scale, family responsibilities, etc. Labour laws have provisions to safeguard the workers against fraud, abuse and arbitrary termination of contract or non-compliance with contractual obligations.

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Location of the Embassy B-1 Diplomatic Quarter, PO Box 94387 in Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh - 11693, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh 11693, Saudi Arabia Ph: 00-966-1-4884144, 4884691, 4884692, 4834254 Fax :00-9661-4884750 The Consular/Passport and Welfare Wings are located on the Ground Floor of the Embassy building. Contact Details Enquiries relating to Consular, Labour and Welfare services can be obtained from the following telephone numbers:General Enquiry (966-1) 488 4144, 488 4691, 488 4692 24-hr Help-Line (966-1) 488 4697, 488 1982 Attache (Consular) (966-1) 488 4144 Ext. 104 (for passport matters) Attaché (Visa) (966-1) 488 4144 Ext. 112/205 (visa and attestation) Attache (CW) (966-1) 488 4144 Ext. 325 Fax No. (966-1) 488 4183 E-mail [email protected] (Consular/Passport services) [email protected] (For Labour and Welfare services) Working Hours for Consular Services (Saturday through Wednesday) 1 2 3 4 5 6

Submission of Passport applications / attestation of documents 8.45 AM to 11.30 AM Submission of Passport applications / documents by authorised company representatives 11.30 AM to 12.00 NOON Delivery of attested documents (normally on the day of submission) 3.30 PM to 5.00 PM Delivery of Passports (on the day mentioned at the time of submission) 15.30 PM to 5.00 PM Submission of Visa Applications 08.45 AM to 11.30 AM Issue of Visa (normally on the day of submission) 4.00 PM to 4.30 PM

Embassy of India, Riyadh B-1, Diplomatic Quarter, P.B.No.94387, Riyadh-11693, Saudi Arabia. Telephone : 00-966-1-4884144, 4884691, 4884692, 4834254, 4884697, 4881982 (24 hour Help Line) Fax : 00-966-1-4884750 (Chancery), 4804764 (Commercial) E-Mail : [email protected] (Ambassador‟s Office) [email protected] (DCM‟s Office); [email protected] (passport); [email protected] (Community Welfare); www.indianembassy.org.sa (website) Consulate General of India, Jeddah Bldg. of M/s Bughshan & Bros. Madinah Road, Near Al Mira Carpets P B No. 952 Jeddah 21421, Telephone : 00 966 2 6520104 / 112, 6517581 Fax : 00 966 2 6533964, Email : cg @cgijeddah.org (CG‟s Office) [email protected] (Welfare Section), [email protected] (Passport Section)

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Important Contacts Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, Government of India, Akbar Bhavan, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi-110021, Telephone No 91-11-24197900, Fax No: 91-11-24197919. Email: [email protected], Sources Ray Jureidini (2003), Migrant Workers and Xenophobia in the Middle East, Geneva, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. International Labour Organisation (2006) www.ilo.org Emigration and You- An Information Booklet, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 2004. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/countryprofiles.www.justlanded.com The World Fact Book, www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ba-html. Human Rights Watch. www.humanrightswatch.org The Hindu online edition. www.thehinduonline.com Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) www.moia.gov.in Annual Report of MOIA 2006-07. www.indianembassy.org.sa

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PART-II BAHRAIN Location and size: Bahrain is a small monarchy of desert plains about 700 square kilometres in area, consisting of 36 islands located at the eastern coastof the Persian Gulf, on the east of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Four of these islands connected by causeways together account for 95 percent of the land area of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are also interconnected by a causeway. It is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council which has six member countries, the others being Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Climate Bahrain is situated at 26º North Latitude, three hours ahead of GMT. It has a varied topography ranging from rocky deserts to lush green vegetation, sandy beaches, traditional architecture and parks. Year-round fine weather offers scope for a wide range of leisure time activities on land and sea. The best climatic conditions in Bahrain are from November to March. During December and March, evenings are cool. From May to September, days could be hot and humid, with hot, dry winds and sandstorms. Sunglasses would be of help during summer days. Bahrain has a very hot and humid climate during the months of May to September ranging from 30º to 40º Celsius. In the rest of the months the maximum temperature is in the range of 20º to 30º Celsius. Rainfall is low. History Bahrain has a history of about 5000 years and is famed as a trading centre between India and the Middle East. In the course of its history, the country passed through several stages as a territory under Assyrian kings as a part of the Babylonian empire, and as a colony of Syria, Oman and Portugal, till late in the 18th century when a Khalifa family of Bahrain itself captured the controlling forces. From 1830 till 1968, Bahrain remained a British Protecterate when the British government decided to enter into treaty relations with all Persian Sheikhdoms. After declaring complete independence in 1971, Bahrain promulgated a Constitution in 1973 and elected its first Parliament. But the Khalifa reasserted his powers of ruling the country in 1975 and the monarchy still continues. Bahrain is on the road to democratization of course under monarchy After the earlier ruler passed away in 1999, his son took over, who granted citizenship rights to all sections of the population allowing voting rights to women and conducting general elections. Bahrain has at present a liberal constitutional monarchy. Population Bahrain had a population of about 7 lakh (in 2006) of which more than 40 percent was expatriate. Persons of Indian origin working in Bahrain come to about 1.30 lakh in 2002, most of them from the states of South India. The Indian presence in Bahrain began with the recruitment of Indian workers to the Bahrain Petroleum Company in the 1930s. The Indian community is engaged now-a-days in different capacities –as workers in construction, Page No. 16 Manual Report Pre departure training

maintenance and service sectors, as tradesmen in provisions, jewellery and electronic goods both in wholesale and retail business, and as domestic workers, most of whom work as housemaids. Housemaids reportedly face problems of maltreatment. There exists a predominance of men among the expatriate population. More than threefourths of them are male. And about four fifths of the expatriates are above 14 years of age. The native population has also more males than females, but is more balanced than the expatriate population. There are 503 males and 497 females per 1000 population. Nearly 30 percent of the native population comprises children below 14 years of age. The native population is predominantly Muslim, accounting for about 98 percent. Eighty five percent of them live in the capital city of Manama, which is a commercial and cultural centre. The adult population has attained near universal literacy. Languages: The major language in use is Arabic even though English is also in general use. Resources: The country has oil, natural gas, fish and pearls among the important natural resources. The economy has a highly developed tertiary sector accounting for about 53 percent, a developed industrial sector which accounts for about 46 percent and an extremely small agricultural sector which contributes only about one percent of the GDP. Culture: Bahrain is home to several communities and cultures. Indians have established several schools and socio-cultural organizations under the overall guidance of the coordination committee of Indian associations.(CCIA). Bahrain has allowed non-Muslims to build churches, temples and gurudwaras in the country, even though Islam is the religion of the native population. Government: The country is governed by a constitutional hereditary monarchy. The chief executive is the king himself and the Prime minister and a council of ministers are appointed by the king. There is a bi-cameral parliament. Consisting of a house of deputies of 40 elected members and a council of 40 members appointed by the king for a term of 4 years. Though political parties are not allowed, some political societies have been sanctioned since 2001. Economy: Bahrain is a rich country with per capita income at about $20,500(in 2005). The monetary unit is the Bahrain Dinar. One Dinar is equal to 1000 fils and Indian Rs. 117. Money is easily convertible into and from Dinar and money can be brought in or sent out without restrictions.The major industries in Bahrain are petroleum processing and refining.

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Aluminum smelting, iron pelletisation, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing and tourism. Bahrain is a major financial and business centre, the leading Islamic financial centre in the world. Bahrain spends large sums on urban development, education, health care and other social services. Housing and infrastructural facilities are also rapidly on the increase. Transportation: The main means of internal transportation is roadways. Banks and other financial institutions are well developed. Fridays are national holidays in Bahrain. The usual working hours are from 700hours to 14.00 hours and shops operate between 8.00 hours and 12.30 hours and between 15.30 hours and 18.30 hours. except on holidays and Thursdays when they work from 15.30hours to 21.00 hours. Bahrain is the home base of Gulf Air. The international airport of Bahrain is situated in Maharaq, the second largest island of Bahrain. Bahrain links with more than 300 regional flights a week. Costs of transportation by bus are easy and cheap. Bus fare is a flat 50- fils per trip among most towns. Buses ply from about 6 in the morning to 9.30 in the evening. Cars are available on rent at the rate of BD 15 per day. Foreign driving licence is not accepted for driving in Bahrain. An international driving licence obtained prior to landing in Bahrain is required. Seat belts are to be used by persons driving cars or are seated on the front seat of cars.. Taxis are readily available too. Information on Taxi Fares and Tourist Information Guide are available free at tourist offices. Taxi fares are higher during midnight to early dawn and for trips from airports. It is advisable to fix the taxi fare in advance unless the taxi has a meter in use. Holidays: Bahrain has changed recently their weekend to Fridays and Saturdays in order to have a day of the weekend shared with the rest of the world. The change came to effect from September1, 2006 Communication: Post offices are spread throughout the island. Most of the mail is delivered to private boxes available at the main post offices. Home deliveries are also made if correct address (consisting of building number road number and block number of the addressee) is given in the envelope. Telecommunication and telephone systems are fully developed in Bahrain. Medical facilities: Medical facilities are well developed in Bahrain. State medical facilities are by and large free. Emergency treatment is available at a nominal cost of Bahrain Dinar 1in the main general hospital at Sal mania.

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Food: Bahrain‟s food comprises dishes of fish, meat, eggs, rice, dates, bread and coffee. Consumption of alcohol is prohibited except for those who have drinking license. Dress: Bahrain prescribes no formal dress code. Visitors are advised however to dress sensibly and modestly. Shorts are normally not acceptable both for men and women, and women should not wear short, low-cut, backless or sleeveless dresses which may appear offensive to some citizens. Crime and Punishment: Crime rates are low in Bahrain, except rare occurrence of theft, robbery and burglary. Indian expatriates are cautioned to keep vigil and inform the police and the local Indian Embassy in case of any infringement on their security. Bahrain has stringent rules for punishment for offences and violation of rule. Litigations take time to get resolved. Indebtedness, labour disputes, possession and use of illegal drugs and alcoholic drinks, paedophilia, pornography are all subjects on which litigation may continue for long periods of time and invite harsh punishment. Unionization: Trade union activities have been allowed in Bahrain since 2002, even in government departments. Bahrain provides its people (not the expatriates) with free medical care, education and old age pensions. Although school attendance is not compulsory, primary and secondary enrolment ratios are high and literacy rates are the highest in the region. Higher education facilities are available at the Bahrain University and the Arabian Gulf University and specialized institutes such as the College of Health Services. Life in Bahrain: Bahrainis are a generous, open and gregarious people and warmly welcoming. Life in Bahrain is cosmopolitan, safe and relaxed. The price of accommodation ranges from US $ 500 to US$ 1500 per month. Bahrain has become a centre of entertainments in the Gulf region in which concerts, sports and cultural events abound. A majority of Bahrainis speak English. Social Customs: Arab customs are, generally, very different from those in the west, and you should be aware of what you‟re expected to do and not to do.

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Acquaintance with local customs and social behavior will make your adaptation easier. And being a foreigner, this adaptation is inevitable for you. Apart from criminal actions and behavior, there are certain unwritten rules that you must observe in order to avoid offending local sensibilities. Dress: There are different ways of dressing for local and expatriate women. Outside the home, Arab women dress according to religious custom ie they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black over garment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered. Some Arab women (especially Saudis and those with strictly religious husbands) are totally covered, including their face and hands. This is to protect women from unwanted attention. Foreign women can wear western clothes but should always dress conservatively. Arabs proscribe clothes for women which reveal the shoulders, arms and legs. Any woman dressing provocatively will be regarded as being of „easy virtue‟ or perhaps even as a prostitute. In the home, Arab women often adopt western dress, particularly younger women, and there are no restrictions on dressing for foreign women in private. Arab men wear the thobe (a loose, ankle-length robe). It can be worn for all occasions, including social and business. The traditional head covering is the guthra (a white or red and white checkered cloth) held in place by the agal (a black „rope‟). Arab men wear casual dress on veryinformal occasions or at the beach Foreign men are not expected to wear Arab garments. Men should avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts in public. However, suits are rarely worn in the Gulf, except for important business meetings and related social events. Standard dress in the office is a shirt (usually long-sleeved), tie and lightweight trousers. Forms of Address: It is important to greet local people in the correct way. It is important to address a person by his full name, particularly on formal occasions and in correspondence. The general formal address is Sayyed (sir) for men and Sayeeda or Sayeedity (Madam) for women, followed by the person‟sfull name. Rulers are addressed “Your Highness (Your Majesty). Senior members of the ruling families are called your Excellency followed by Shaik and their full name. Greetings: The most common greeting in the Gulf is Salam alaykum („Peace be upon you‟), and the correct reply to which is Wa alaykum as-salam („And upon you be peace‟). Other common greetings and the accepted repliesare: Greeting Meaning Reply Ahlan wa sahlan Hello Ahlan bik Sabah al-khayr Good morning/afternoon Sabah an-nur Masa al-khayr Good evening Masa an-nur Note that tisbah ala-khayr, meaning „good night‟, is said on parting, as in English, and the reply is wa inta min ahlu.

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You should always shake hands when greeting and parting from Arab men. In the case of Arab women, you should be guided by the woman‟s behaviour: many Arab women won‟t shake hands with non-Arab men, although educated women might. This is normal even with close friends whom you meet frequently. If the handshake you receive when leaving somebody is longer than the one you received when meeting him, it indicates that you‟ve made a good impression. Incidentally, newcomers should note that refusals or protracted reluctance to meet people are frowned upon. Note also that you shouldn‟t approach Arab women, look at them or talk to them unless you‟ve been properly introduced. After handshaking, it‟s customary to enquire after the other person‟s health and other matters, and you should expect similar enquiries to be directed at you. (Don‟t enquire after the health of the female members of an Arab‟s family, however, but restrict your questions to those regarding the family in general or the sons.) This can take a long time, as neither party wishes to be the one to draw matters to a close. Foreigners aren‟t expected to know or use all the subtleties this ritual involves, but you will make a good impression if you learn at least some of the standard expressions and use them in the correct way. Whether in face-to-face conversation or speaking to people on the telephone, don‟t talk business straight away; if you do so, Arabs will assume that you‟re impatient or not interested in them personally. Hands & Feet: You should accept refreshment whenever it‟s offered, but note that you should always use your right hand for drinking and eating, as the left hand is regarded as unclean (as it‟s used for „toilet purposes‟). Similarly, you should avoid showing the soles of your shoes or feet, which implies that you think the other person is „dirt‟, which is obviously highly offensive. You should therefore keep your feet flat on the ground and not cross your legs. Invitations: If you‟re invited to the home of an Arab, you should always accept. You should generally take every opportunity to become acquainted with local people and avoid the natural tendency to stay within the social and physical confines of your foreign „ghetto‟. Your Arab host will be interested in you and your views. However, you should avoid politics and religion as subjects for discussion; your opinions might be regarded as ill-informed or even offensive, even if they seem acceptable to you from a western perspective. When you enter the majlis, the reception room for visitors, you should always remove your footwear, unless the host indicates otherwise.

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If you‟re with a female companion, she will be whisked off to join the women. You will almost certainly be offered something to drink and perhaps eat; accept the offer.Arabs are almost always polite and expect the same from those they meet, and believe that sharing a meal with a person positively affects the relationship. It‟s certainly worth learning enough Arabic to communicate the pleasantries, greetings and responses of the country you‟re living in. You will enjoy people‟s reaction and your hosts invariably offer encouragement to those who attempt to speak their language. It‟s important to note, however, that the Arabic language has a special significance, having been designed to carry the word of God, so it‟s important to use it respectfully. You should also never call at an Arab‟s house without warning him that you‟re coming. If the women of the family are present, this won‟t be appreciated. You should also avoid expressing admiration for any of your host‟s possessions, as tradition dictates that he must then offer it to you. Although this tradition isn‟t followed by everybody, it can nevertheless cause embarrassment. What‟s more, the correct response is for the recipient to ive an even more valued gift in return, so think twice before admiring an Arab‟s Rolls Royce! Don’t Dos: You should also heed the following warnings: • Don‟t offer alcoholic drinks to an Arab, unless you‟re certain that he drinks alcohol. This can cause great offence. • Don‟t walk on a prayer mat or in front of any person at prayer and try not to stare at people who are praying. • Don‟t try to enter a mosque without first asking permission. It‟s unlikely that you will be allowed in. • Don‟t try to enter the Holy sites or mosques. The roads are well signposted to notify everybody of this restriction. If a non-Muslim is found within the prohibited areas, he‟s likely to be assaulted and will be afforded no protection against the assailants. • Avoid blasphemy, particularly in the presence of Muslims. • Avoid putting an Arab in a position where he might suffer a „loss of face‟ in front of other Arabs. He will appreciate this, if he notices your action. Don‟t beckon to people with a finger, as this is considered particularly impolite. Arabs might use such a gesture to summon a dog. • Avoid shouting and displays of aggression or drunkenness at all times, as such behaviour is rarely tolerated. • During Ramadan, don‟t eat, drink or smoke anywhere where you can be seen by Muslims during the hours of daylight and don‟t engage in any noisy behavior or embrace or kiss anyone in public. Living and working conditions in Bahrain: The Kingdom of Bahrain is home to nearly 270,000 Indians, out of a total population of approximately 745,000. Indians are visible in all walks of life: bankers, businessmen, IT specialists, doctors, nurses, journalists, management consultants, hotel managers, labourers, housemaids, etc.

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The economy of Bahrain is on an upswing. And this growth is expected to be maintained over a period of time. To sustain this growth, there will be a need for substantial amount of manpower in the coming years. According to a recent HSBC Report also, the majority of new jobs would continue to go to expatriates and therefore it is expected that more and more Indian workers would be coming to Bahrain. The employment conditions in Bahrain System of Sponsorship: The present system of entry into Bahrain for employment as also for tourism, social visit or business is by means of sponsorship. The sponsor can be an individual, a business house, an organization or even a diplomatic Mission. In the case of those coming to Bahrain on employment visas, the sponsor is responsible for arranging their residence permit, insurance, etc. Employment Visas: On the basis of criteria fixed by the Ministry of Labour, Government of Bahrain, the sponsor is granted a permission, in the form of employment visas, to recruit a certain number of expatriates. The sponsor recruits the expatriates, as per the Work Permit granted by the Ministry of Labour, and brings them to Bahrain. The residence permit for the employees has to be obtained within a period of thirty days from the date of arrival. Any violation of this clause attracts a fine of BD 10/- per year. As per the local labour laws, the sponsor and the employee must enter into a work contract. Employment under Visit Visa is not permitted. Common complaints The system of sponsorship gives considerable advantage to the employer over the employee and consequently leads to exploitation. The different types of complaints received from Indian nationals are indicated below : •

Retention of passports of the employees by the sponsor in order to exploit them by denying permission to travel even in emergency. According to the Bahraini as well as Indian laws, the passports should be either with the holder or with a person authorized by the holder to keep his/her passport.

•

Delay in payment or denial of payment of salaries and wages by the sponsor, knowing fully well that the employees have no means to seek quick redress or to find another job or to get back their financial dues. The directives of the Ministry of Labour effective 1st July, 2006, directing the companies having ten or more employees, to disburse the salaries only through banks have not been fully complied with by the employers. In an instance, it was reported that three months‟ salary of Indian doctors in one the reputed private hospitals of Bahrain was being withheld. It has been found in many cases that up to three months salary of the employees is held back by the employers. Unauthorized deductions from salary on account of water, electricity, accommodation, food and transport. Congested, unhygienic and unsafe accommodation in labour camps lacking in certain cases even basic facilities for cooking and washing. In one of the worst fire tragedies in Bahrain, 16 Indian nationals lost their lives in July 2006. So far, the company has not paid any amount ex-gratia or compensation.

• •

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• • •

• • • • •

Unsafe working conditions and denial of safety equipment. Neglect of safety precautions was a major factor in Al Dana Boat disaster in March 2006 culminating in loss of 58 lives including 22 Indians. Unsafe mode of transportation to and fro place of work. Inability to leave Bahrain without „no objection‟ certificate from the sponsor. As per the local laws, it is the responsibility of the sponsor to ensure that the residence papers of the employees arei0n order but it is the employee who gets arrested and not the employer if the employee‟s papers are not in order. Inability to change employer even if the employer does not follow contractual obligations. Forcing the employees to sign blank papers for misuse and exploitation. The sponsor does not provide employment nor regularizes the workers‟ stay, thereby rendering the latter‟s continued stay illegal leading to detention of the employees. The employees are sometimes falsely implicated and reported to police by the sponsors for offences such as theft resulting in their imprisonment and deportation. There have been instances where the sponsors have gone to treating their employees as their „property‟ and inflicting atrocities in clear violation of human rights. An Indian national as kept chained to a wall in a shop in one of the local shopping centres. According to the sponsor, this was done to prevent the Indian national from leaving the sponsor and finding work outside.

Housemaids: The housemaids are not covered by Bahraini Labour Laws and are mostly made to work long hours without break or weekly offs, There have also been instances where the housemaids have been victims of willful injuryand even physical assault. Some of the female employees working in the beauty parlours also complain of exploitation. Even though the female employees are employed as Ladies Hairdresser/Beautician etc., they are also compelled to clean the toilets, mopping, sweeping, window cleaning etc. attached to the beauty saloons. Residence Permit: As an off-shoot of the sponsorship, the grant of residence permits is also abused in many cases. The sponsor, instead of canceling the residence permit of the employee at the time of termination of the work contract, renews the residence permit for a further period of two years. Thus theemployee is forced to work with the same sponsor. The residence permit can be changed only when the sponsor gives „no objection‟ to theemployee. For this, the sponsor sometimes demands a large sum of money. Work Contracts: Articles 38 and 39 of the Labour Law for the Private Sector issued by the Ministry of Labour of Bahrain, lay down the conditions of employment to be mutually agreed upon by the employer and the worker. However, in actual practice, the worker is often presented with a contract which is violative of the workers‟ rights and loaded heavily in favour of the employer. Many of the contracts do not have any clauseregarding hours of work, resignation and serving notice by the employees, should they wish to quit.

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Although there is no such category as Free Visa, this term classifies instances where local agents/businessmen/shell companies manage to obtain visas for workers which are then sold in India for as much as BD. 1200/-. These workers come to Bahrain and are „free‟ to find work and fend for themselves. Periodically, they are required to pay the sponsor/ agent a certain percentage of their earnings for renewing their visas. Quite often, the sponsors do not renew their visas rendering the status of these workers illegal. These so-called „free visa‟ workers are easiest to exploit, as the employers do not have to meet any obligations such as airfare, leave, medical treatment, insurance etc for the workers. During Jan – June 2006, Ministry of Labour of Bahrain prosecuted 160 companies for illegal visa trade and 759 expatriate workers including Indians were arrested and deported. Visit Visas: The Department of Immigration of Govt of Bahrain issues „visit visas‟ for a short duration, i.e. for a period of one month, extendable up to maximum of three months, with the clear stipulation that no employment should be taken in Bahrain. However, such visas are sold for large sums, the proceeds of which are shared by the sponsors in Bahrain and agents in other countries. The expatriate worker is promised legal entry, work permit, residence visa and a regular job on arrival in Bahrain by his agent. These workers come to Bahrain and unable to have their visas regularized, find themselves at the mercy of the sponsor/ agent in Bahrain and have to pay to him a certain percentage of their earnings. In most cases, the sponsors do not renew/regularize their visas rendering the status of these workers „illegal‟. Such category of illegal expatriate workers are exploited wherever they are able to find work. The onus and responsibility of payment of fines for illegal stay rests with the Bahraini sponsor/agent and not on „free‟ or „visit‟ visa holders but in case workers are arrested by the authorities, fines are extracted from workers themselves and not from the sponsor. The workers due to inability to pay huge fines, even though willing to return to India, get caught in a vicious cycle and thus are forced to continue working illegally in Bahrain. Some of the recruitment agencies in India also connive with local companies/sponsors by making false promises and alluring innocent people to Bahrain for jobs with salaries far below the contracted levels. Many of these victims incur heavy debts in India to pay the recruitment agencies for visa. There are many cases where even the relatives, friends and persons known to the gullible job aspirants lure them to Bahrain promising lucrative salaries and vanish after charging hefty sums from them. Consequently there have been several cases of hapless workers committing suicide after finding themselves thus trapped. Living Conditions: Wages : The wage level for expatriate workers has remained depressed over the years despite increase in cost of living. A table of wages usually paid to expatriate workers in Bahrain is annexed. Whereas Government of Bahrain has fixed minimum wage for Bahraini nationals at BD. 200/ - per month recently, there is no minimum wage law as yet for expatriate workers. Accommodation: The minimum rent for a single bedroom semi-furnished apartment in a medium class area in Bahrain is BD. 200/- per month and BD. 250/- for two bed-room.

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Transport: The public transport is not available all the times and does not connect various parts of the city. Taxis are expensive – minimum fare during daytime is BD.1/-. It is advisable to settle for the fare before boarding the taxi to avoid any dispute later. Medical: There are Government run Health Centres and hospitals where expatriate workers having valid residence permit can avail free treatment including medicines, diagnostic tests and hospitalization. However, for consultation with specialists as private patients, a sum of BD. 10/- is charged. Consultation at other private hospitals and practitioners also costs minimum BD.10/- per visit. Medicines and diagnostic tests are also much costlier compared to that in India. Education: Satisfactory facilities for education (CBSE syllabus) up to senior secondary (XIIth) level are available at two Indian schools; two others are up to secondary (Xth) level, two up to IXth and one up to VIth standard. Average monthly cost of educating a child is BD.40/-. Connectivity to India: Air India, Idian, Gulf Air as also other carriers fly to Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai. Return economy air fare is approximately BD.200/-. However, during summer the demand is very high, seats are difficult to get and air fares go up. Dispute settlement mechanisms For those who come under the purview of the Bahrain Labour Laws, any case of dispute is first looked into by the Ministry of Labour. As per the Labour Law, notices are issued to both the sponsor and the employee. In case, either the sponsor or the employee does not turn up in response to the notice, fresh notices are issued. If after issue of three notices at a gap of one week each, the matter is not settled, Ministry of Labour transfers the matter to Labour Court for settlement. The settlement of disputes between the workers and the employers is a tardy and timeconsuming process as the sponsors do turn up most often. During the pendency of the case, the workers are not permitted to work outside. Out of sheer frustration, many a time the worker foregoes his claim and seeks repatriation. However, the worker can authorize lawyers in Bahrain to continue the case in Court on his behalf. For those not under the purview of Labour Laws, such as housemaids etc., Ministry of Interior is the agency to be approached for settlement of disputes. Embassy: The Embassy takes up the cases of complaints by the workers first with the sponsor and if no satisfactory solution is found, advises the workers to file a case with the Ministry of Labour and then the case is pursued by the Embassy with the concerned authorities. Visits to workers camps, detention centres and jails are periodically arranged for welfare purposes by the Embassy. The destitute housemaids are sent to a shelter run by the Migrant Workers Protection Society till their case is settled. The errant companies, their owners, managers and other individual sponsors are blacklisted to bar them from further recruitment of Indians and visiting India, in case they fail to resolve the problems of the Indian employees. However, where the defaulting employers take remedial steps, they are de-listed.

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Caution: i) The Embassy extends assistance to Indian nationals only in cases where no violation of local laws, civil or criminal, on their part is involved. The Embassy can also take action such as blacklisting, impounding/revoking of passports and/or instituting proceedings against Indian nationals found indulging in exploiting fellow Indians or jeopardizing their interest in any way. ii) The Indian nationals before proceeding to Bahrain for any job are advised to ascertain through the Embassy or from any reliable source about the standing of the company/employer, terms and conditions of the contract including salary, accommodation, transport, medical facilities, overtime, leave, airfares, insurance and indemnity. Under no circumstances, they should sign any blank papers/contracts or accept any openended job offer or verbal assurance from any manpower agencies or „contacts‟. Agreement of Employment Required Documents: (1) Application for Agreement (2) Agreement of Employment (2 copies) (3) N.O.C. (No Objection Certificate) (4) Work Permit (from Labour Ministry) (Minimum age requirement for Housemaids to be recruited from India is 30 years) 5)

CPR card of the sponsor

(6) Commercial Registration (in case of companies) (7) Sponsor‟s Salary Slip (in case of individual sponsor – minimum salary should be BD 250 per month) Bank Statement in case of companies with BD1000 as minimum bank balance Application to be routed through registered manpower recruiting agency. Minimum Wages recommended for different Categories of workers in Bahrain: S. No.

Category Minimum wages

1. 2.

Accountants Accounts Assistant/Office Assistant/Computer Programmer/ Secretaries/Stenographers Artists Baby-Sitters Butchers Captains (Ships) Chemists/Pharmacists Cleaners Clerks/Accounts Clerks/Cashiers/Typists /Store Keepers Commercial Advs. Designers Cooks (for House)

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

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No per Month (BD) 200 180 120 120 100 300 150 90 120 120 to 150 75

S. No. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49.

50.

Category Minimum wages No per Month (BD) Cooks (for Restaurant) 90 Dentures 100 Drivers (Cars/Buses/Trucks) 100 Engineer (Junior Grade) /Foreman /Supervisers (holding250 Certificates/Diplomas) Fishermen 75 Gardeners/Farm Workers 65 Goldsmiths 90 to 120 Hair Cutters / Hair Dressers 90 Heavy Duty Drivers (Cranes/ Bulldozers/Dumpers) 20. Heavy Duty Operators 120 Helpers to Technicians & Skilled Traders 75 Housemaids/House Boys/Nannies etc (Food & Accomodation 50 also to be provided in addition to the recommended wages Interior Decorators 120 Laminators 90 Leather Workers / Seat Makers 90 Light Duty Operators 120 Lubricators 100 Managers/Directors 300 Masons/Carpenters/Steel Fitters/ Steel Assemblers/ 90 Riggers/Metal & Steel Workers/Tile Fixers Nurses 150 Office Boys/Office Cleaners 75 Opticians 150 Painters 90 Pharmacists 130 Photographers (Cameramen) 120 Plumbers/Fabricators/Furniture Carpenters/Fancy Wood 100 Workers/ Pipe Fitters Receptionists 180 Sales Representatives 200 Sandwich Makers/Bakers 90 Shop Assistants/Salesmen 90 Store Keepers 120 Tailors/Garment Workers 90 Teachers (Junior Grade) 150 Unskilled Labourers/Helpers 60 Waiters (Restaurants/Hotels) 75 Washermen (Laundry) 90 Watchmen/Security Guards 90 Welders/Electricians/Mechanics/Fitters/ Motor 100 Technicians/AC Mechanics/ Light Mechanic/Technicians of various categories and Experienced Grades without diploma Wiremen 90

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Indian Community General: Bahrain with a total population of 725,000 and an area of about approximately 700 sq. kms, is the smallest of the GCC States. However, the proximity of Bahrain to other GCC countries and its location midway in the Gulf gives it a strategic importance. Bahrain‟s very early exposure to foreigners, introduction to education in the 1920s and co-existence with Christianity (St. Mary‟s Church in Bahrain was established in 1938), conditioned the Bahrainis in general, to an open and favourable attitude towards expatriates. The trade and commercial activity generated by the discovery of oil in 1932, especially the oil boom years of the early 70s, and later faced with declining oil reserves, Bahrain turned to petroleum processing and refining and transformed itself into an international finance centre. The growing economy led to the increased need to accommodate and make room for a large expatriate community. Today, the expatriates form nearly 57% of the total population. Demographic Features and the Indian Work-Force: Of the nearly 400,000 expatriates, nearly 270,000 Indian nationals form the largest expatriate community in Bahrain along with Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans, Filipino, Indonesians and Arabs of different nationalities. The Indian workforce is by far the largest of the expatriate workforce. Keralites constitute approx. 65% of the Indian community. The other major groups are from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa and Punjab. Today 65-70% of the Indian expatriate workforce is employed in the construction, contracting & maintenance sectors. There is also a relatively small number of Indian housemaids estimated at around 10000-15000. They come mostly from states such as Kerala, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. The retail and other business activities include provisions, hardwires, jewellery, electronics, etc. Some others have taken up jobs as storekeepers, chemists, carpenters, barbers, etc. In addition to our predominant blue-collar labour force, there is a sizable number of doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, bankers, managers and other professionals who play a vital role in Bahrain‟s socio-economic development. Professionals, such as doctors, engineers, accountants, etc. have also found growing opportunities in Bahrain. Today there is hardly any established Bahraini business organisation that does not have a senior or middle level Indian employee playing an important role in its operations. The top Bahraini business houses such as Zayani, Al Moayyad, Fakhro, Kanoo, Koohejis, Ahmed Mansour Al Ali, Abdullah Nass, Mohammed Jalal as well as companies like Bahrain Almunium, BAPCO, GPIC, banks and finance companies etc. have Indians in their senior or middle management cadres. Labour Relations: Indian labour enjoys a good reputation in terms of their conduct, loyalty, higher productivity and non-involvement in local affairs. There is a preference amongst Bahrainis to employ Indians over others. With the largest expatriate community in this country, there are always ongoing labour and consular problems, which are constantly attended to by the Mission. These mainly revolve around a variety of problems with local sponsors, premature cancellation of contracts, illegal stay, change of contractual obligations etc. A generally recurring problem relates to those who abandon their sponsors and work illegally or are staying illegally due to various compulsions and circumstances. These problems become difficult to solve, especially at times of accidents, desire to return home prematurely, reduction of fines, etc.

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Role of the Embassy: The Embassy has taken number of ameliorative measures to address these issues. These are umerated below: The Embassy has established nodal points for regular interaction with the Ministries of Labour, Justice, Interior, Public Prosecutor, Immigration, Local Police etc. Such interaction has proved to be extremely useful. The Embassy organizes Open Houses on the last Friday of every month. Such Open Houses provide an opportunity to the members of the Indian community to meet the Ambassador and senior officials of the Embassy on a holiday and take up non-routine consular and labour issues. These issues are then taken up with the nodal points of the Government of Bahrain for appropriate follow up action. Errant companies, manpower companies are black-listed and prevented from recruiting manpower from India. The owners of these companies are also denied visas to visit India. This measure has been effective and some of the leading companies have started cooperating with the Mission in according due rights to the workers. Mission has made it mandatory that the recruitment of all housemaids in Bahrain would be through registered manpower agencies. The necessity to avoid being black-listed by the Mission has ensured that the manpower agencies quickly step in to resolve complaints by housemaids. The Embassy has constituted two Committees – Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) and Indian Community Services (ICS) – consisting of Indian community members to assist the Embassy in the respective areas. Both these bodies are very active and respond quickly to calls for help from the community. Visits to workers camps, detention centers and jails are periodically arranged for welfare purposes by the Embassy. The Mission receives considerable help from the local Indian community and voluntary organizations and is in close coordination with the Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) A 24-hour help line has been set up in the Mission. The telephone number (17713509) has been widely circulated among the members of the Indian community to enable them to seek assistance round the clock. With the concurrence of the Ministry of Interior, Government of Bahrain, Local Help Committees have been set up in 16 regions which would cover the entire Kingdom of Bahrain. Members of this Committee have been issued identity cards and their names have been circulated to local Police Stations. These identity cards gives them the requisite authorization to approach the concerned authorities in case of need. Indian Cultural and Religious Bodies: The Indian community has 29 registered and 51 unregistered sociocultural organisations and clubs. There are seven schools with facility to study under CBSE system. There are a number of Hindu religious centres including a 60-year-old Hindu temple, 5 churches and 6 Gurudwaras.The Indian Club was set up in 1915 and the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam was set up in 1947. Most of the associations have been brought under the umbrella of the Coordination Committee of Indian Associations (CCIA) with a view to centralising efforts on key occasions such as Independence/Republic Day etc. CCIA has played a very active and helpful role recently in emergent situation like Light Style Garment Factory closure, locking of six Indians in a freezer truck, Al Dana boat tragedy, Gudaibiya fire incident etc. It also hosts receptions for visiting VIPs and Indian Naval Ships.

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Sources: Ray Jureidini (2003), Migrant Workers and Xenophobia in the Middle East, Geneva, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. International Labour Organisation(2006) www.ilo.org Emigration and You- An Information Booklet, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 2004. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/countryprofiles., www.justlanded.com The World Fact Book, www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ ba-html. Human Rights Watch. www.humanrightswatch.org The Hindu online edition. www.thehinduonline.com Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) www.moia.nic.in, Annual Report of MOIA 2006-07, http://www.indianembassybah.com/

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Part – II SAUDI ARABIA Location: Saudi Arabia is the largest state in the Arabian Peninsula, with the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba on the West and the Persian Gulf on the East. The Kingdom occupies 80percent of the Arabian Peninsula and includes the world‟s largest continuous sand desertknown as the Empty Quarter. Saudi Arabia, with an area of 2.24 million sq. km, is the14th largest country in the world. It has boundaries with Iraq (814 km); Jordan (782 km); Kuwait (222km); Oman (676 km); Qatar (60km); UAE (457 km) and Yemen (1458 km). From the Western coastal region, the land rises from sea level to a peninsula-long mountain range, beyond which are plateaus. The South-west region has the greenest and the most attractive climate in the Kingdom. The East is rocky or sandy low-land that extends to the Gulf. Extreme heat and drought are the main characteristics of the country in summer, when temperatures of over 50º Celsius are occasionally experienced, while during winter frost and even snow may occur in the interior and the mountain regions. Winter temperatures vary between 8 and 20 degrees C in Riyadh and interior cities, while they range from 19 degree C and 29º C in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, and other costal areas. The annual rainfall is as low as 100 millimeters, though sudden downpours followed by flash floods is not uncommon. The rainfall season is normally between January and May. History: Saudi Arabia has been the homeland of the Arabs. Islam took its birth here in the 7th century. Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam, are located in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia owes its present formation to King Abdul Aziz Al- Saud (1882-1953), who established the modern Kingdom in 1932. Since 1953, Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the sons of King Abdul Aziz. The present ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah, came to the throne in 2005. Economy: Oil was discovered in 1936 and commercial production began after the World War II. Saudi Arabia is the world‟s major producer of oil and has the world‟s largest proven hydrocarbon reserves (25%). The petroleum sector accounts for about 75 percent of budget revenues and 90 percent of export earnings. About 40 percent of the GDP comes from the private sector. Saudi Arabia joined the WTO in 2005. In 2005, Saudi Arabia had a per capita income of US$ 12,900. The national currency is the Saudi Riyal (SR), which is made up of 100 halalah. The exchange rate is fixed at SR 3.74 per US dollar, which is roughly equal to Indian Rupees 12. The main natural resources of the country are: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold and copper. The country imports machinery, industrial equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles and textiles. Saudi Arabia has a population of 28 million. The major religion is Islam and the main language is Arabic, though English is widely spoken and understood.

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Foreign Labour: There are over 8 million expatriate workers in the country, mainly from South and Southeast Asian countries. Indians are the largest expatriate community, numbering over two million. About 70% Indian expatriate workers fall under the blue collar category, while 20% are professional and 10% white collar non-professional. Other major expatriate communities are: Pakistan – 12.5 lakhs; Bangladesh -15 lakhs; Egypt-12.5 lakhs; Philippines -12 lakhs; Indonesia-10 lakhs; Sri Lanka -5 lakhs. Labour Laws: Labour laws apply to all expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia, except domestic servants, farm workers and fishermen. The Ministry of Labour has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the labour laws. Complaints can be lodged with the Ministry of Labour if an employer terminates a work contract without valid reason. The aggrieved party is entitled to an indemnity to be assessed by the competent commission based on the nature of work, period of service, the workman‟s age, the pay scale, family responsibilities, etc. Labour laws have provisions to safeguard the workers against fraud, abuse and arbitrary termination of contract or non-compliance with contractual obligations. Location of the Embassy: B-1 Diplomatic Quarter, PO Box 94387 in Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh - 11693, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh 11693, Saudi Arabia, Ph: 00-966-1-4884144, 4884691, 4884692, 4834254 Fax::00-9661-4884750. The Consular/Passport and Welfare Wings are located on the Ground Floor of the Embassy

building. Contact Details: Enquiries relating to Consular, Labour and Welfare services can be obtained from the following telephone numbers:General Enquiry (966-1) 488 4144, 488 4691, 488 4692, 24-hr Help-Line (966-1) 488 4697, 488 1982, Attache (Consular) (966-1) 488 4144 Ext. 104 (for passport matters), Attaché (Visa) (966-1) 488 4144 Ext. 112/205 (visa and attestation), Attache (CW) (966-1) 488 4144 Ext. 325, Fax No. (966-1) 488 4183, E-mail [email protected] (Consular/Passport services), [email protected] (For Labour and Welfare services). Working Hours for Consular Services (Saturday through Wednesday) 1 2 3 4 5 6

Submission of Passport applications / attestation of documents 8.45 AM to 11.30 AM Submission of Passport applications / documents by authorised company representatives 11.30 AM to 12.00 NOON Delivery of attested documents (normally on the day of submission) 3.30 PM to 5.00 PM. Delivery of Passports (on the day mentioned at the time of submission) 15.30 PM to 5.00 PM Submission of Visa Applications 08.45 AM to 11.30 AM Issue of Visa (normally on the day of submission) 4.00 PM to 4.30 PM

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Sources: Ray Jureidini (2003), Migrant Workers and Xenophobia in the Middle East, Geneva, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. International Labour Organisation (2006) www.ilo.org Emigration and You- An Information Booklet, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 2004. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oman ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/countryprofiles. www.justlanded.com The World Fact Book, www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ba-html. Human Rights Watch. www.humanrightswatch.org The Hindu online edition. www.thehinduonline.com Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) www.moia.gov.in Annual Report of MOIA 2006-07. www.indianembassy.org.sa ***

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Part – II KUWAIT The state of Kuwait is a small constitutional monarchy on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed by Saudi Arabia on the south, Iraq on the north and Iran on the east. It has atotal area of about 7000 sq miles (about 17800 sq kms). The total population of Kuwait in2010 was 3.44 million comprising 1.10 million Kuwaitis or 32% of population & 2.34 million expatriates;. The Indian community, numbering nearly 640,000, constitutes the largest expatriate population in Kuwait. About 80 percent of the labour force is constituted by foreign nationals. The capital of the country is Kuwait city. Climate: Kuwait consists mostly of flat desert lands lying on the mainland and in nineislands in the Persian Gulf. The climate is intensely hot during summer and cool during short winter months. The state has no arable land at all. But pastures account for about 8 percent of the land. Aerial Cloudbursts are common during the months of October to April, which bring huge amounts of rainwater causing damage to roads and houses. Sand storms and dust storms occur throughout the year. Kuwait has little fresh water resources. It gets potablewater from desalination facilities, perhaps the largest and the most sophisticated in the world. The air and water in the state is highly polluted. Natural Resources: Petroleum, fish, shrimp and natural gas are the major natural resources. Population: The native population is Muslim, accounting for about 85 percent. The major language (and the official language too) is Arabic. Most Kuwaitis are literate, the literacy rate being 98.3% amongst males and 86.5% amongst females. History: Kuwait was founded in the early 1700s after tribes from Central Arabia settled in the Bay of Kuwait City. The Al-Sabah family has been in power since 1756. Fearful that the Ottoman Empire would expand further south, Kuwait came under British protection in 1899. In 1961 Kuwait gained independence from Britain while Iraq pressed a territorial claim to the country. Iraq invaded and occupied Kuwait on August 2, 1990. On February 26, 1991, a USled international coalition liberated Kuwait by ousting Iraqi troops. Political conditions: Kuwait is a hereditary Emirate with an elected National Assembly and a democratic style of governance. HH the Amir is the Head of State and appoints the Prime Minister who heads the Government. The Constitution provides for separation of powers among the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature. The Parliament of Kuwait is called National Assembly (Majlis Al-Umma), which is unicameral with 50 members elected for a four-year term. The number of constituencies was reduced to 5 in July 2006. Ministers are not elected but sit as ex-officio MPs. The number of Ministers is fixed at 16 including the PM (_rd the strength of the House). One MP has to be included in the Council of Ministers. To complete the National Assembly quorum, at least one Cabinet Minister has to attend session. Following the demise of the 13th Amir, HH Sheikh Jaber AI-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, in January 2006, the Kuwaiti Cabinet announced the appointment of the Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, as the 14th Amir of Kuwait. However, due to his ill health, the then Prime Minister HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah was appointed the 15th Amir of Kuwait. HH the Amir appointed HH Sheikh Nawaf Al- Ahmad Page No. 35 Manual Report Pre departure training

Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as the new Crown Prince and HH Sheikh Nasser Al- Mohammad AlAhmad Al-Sabah as the new Prime Minister on February 7, 2006. The last elections (13th) to the National Assembly of Kuwait were held on May 16, 2009, following which Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah was reappointed. Customs: There exist two dress codes for women: one for locals and the other for expatriates. Outside home, most Arab Women dress according to religious custom, covering the entire body from head to foot. Some Arab Women cover even their faces and hands. Any woman who dress provocatively showing shoulders, arms and legs will be regarded as a woman of “easy virtue” or even as a prostitute. But there is no restriction on Arab women‟s dress in private and in home when they don‟t appear even before friends and relatives. Arab men wear ankle length loose robe made of white cotton (or wool in winter), called thobe. The traditional headcovering, the guthra, is a white or red and white chequered cloth, held in place by a black rope, agal. Kuwaitis meet each other by shaking hands and kissing cheeks. It is common for women and men to kiss cheeks if they are related to one another. Men and women do not exchange more than a few words and possibly a handshake to greet one another. Kuwaitis serve tea and coffee to entertain guests, whether in house, office of stores. A refusal to tea (or coffee) is viewed as insulting. Kuwaiti food consists of Machboo made of meat or fish mixed with cooked rice, which resembles India‟s biriyani. Curries and side dishes complement the main dish. Food is eaten with the bare right hand. Households including their guests share the meals served in common in large amounts. Diwaniah is the gathering of men where they discuss all matters political, social, economic, local and international, in quite an informal way. It symbolizes Kuwait‟s democracy and freedom of speech. Women also hold dewaniahs, but only rarely. Economy As per World Bank‟s report on per capita income for 2008, Kuwait‟s per capita income of USD 38400 is the 2nd in the Arab world & 17th world-wide. The country has the world‟s fifth largest oil reserves or 10 percent of world reserves. The Kuwait Stock Exchange, which has about 200 firms listed, is the second-largest stock exchange in the Arab world, after Saudi Arabia‟s stock exchange. Petroleum and petroleum products account for nearly 95 percent of Kuwait‟s export revenues, and 80 percent of government income. The currency of Kuwait is Kuwaiti Dinar, which is subdivided into 1000 fils and is freely convertible. It is equivalent to `160 and US$ 3.5 approximately. The industrial structure of the country is composed of petroleum and petro-chemicals, manufacture of electronics, cement, textiles, and fertilizers and food-processing, desalination of water and construction activities. Food, construction materials, vehicles and clothing are among the principal items of imports. Almost all the potable water is desalinated or imported. Kuwait is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and has an oil production capacity of 3.1 million barrels per day (bpd), while its OPEC production quota is 2.2 million bpd. The expenses of Iraqi invasion and post-war reconstruction placed aheavy economic burden on the country.

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Population: The Kuwaiti Government rarely grants citizenship to non-citizens. Non-citizens include Egyptians, Lebanese and other Arabs and Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis and Filippinos. There were about 640,000 Indians in Kuwait in January 2011, making them the largest expatriate community. Kuwait has a life expectancy of 77.8 years for males and 79.9 years for females. The Population density (people per sq. km) in Kuwait was reported at 153.09 in 2008, according to the World Bank. Infrastructure: Kuwait has a well-developed infrastructure of roadways, harbours and ports, numerous housing, health, education, business and tourism activities, hotels and restaurants and telecommunications facilities. Kuwait‟s transportation system is modern and efficient, its airways numerous and welldeveloped and its ports and harbours of international standards. But driving in Kuwait is hazardous. Excessive-speeding, lack of enforcement of traffic regulations and high density of vehicles lead to fatal accidents. Rules of Entry: For obtaining clearance for entry in Kuwait, valid passport, visa, residence permit, NOC from the Ministry of Interior, declaration from employer, letter from employer, Kuwait ID card etc are essential.. There is a long list of prohibited items which include weapons, ammunition, narcotics, pork products, alcoholic beverages, pornographic materials, gambling equipment and idols or images considered un-Islamic. Kuwaiti citizens enjoy the benefits of a generous social welfare system that guarantees them employment, housing, education and medical care. Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis charged with criminal offence, placed under suspension or involved in financial disputesare subject to travel ban. The workweek: The workweek is Sunday through Thursday for most businesses, government offices and commercial banks. Photographing government and public buildings, military installations and economic infrastructure is against the law and punishable. Traditionally dressed women may also complain to the police of being photographed. Humiliating a person may invite police investigation prosecution and punishment. Punishments are in general severe and harsh in Kuwait. Education: Public schooling upto the age of 13 years is free and compulsory. English schools also exist in large numbers. The Kuwait University is the only public university in Kuwait. There is a medical school, an extensive library system and the Kuwait National Museum. The Gulf University for Science and Technology, the American University and the Australian University are the private Universities functioning in Kuwait. Communications: Land telephones and mobile cellular telephones are widely in use. Radio and television broadcast stations cater to about 1 million listeners and viewers respectively. There also exist vast numbers of Internet Service Providers in the country.

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Social Customs: Acquaintance with local customs and social behaviour will make your adaptation more easy. And being a foreigner, this adaptation is inevitalble for you. Apart from criminal actions and behaviour, there are certain unwritten rules that you must observe in order to avoid offending local sensibilities. Dress:

There are different ways of dressing for local and expatriate women. Outside the home, Arab women dress according to religious custom ie they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black overgarment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered. Some Arab women (especially Saudis and those with strictly religious husbands) are totally covered, including their face and hands. This is to protect women from unwanted attention. Foreign women can wear western clothes but should always dress conservatively. In the home, Arab women often adopt western dress, particularly younger women, and there are no restrictions on dressing for foreign women in private. Arab men wear the thobe (a loose, ankle-length robe). It can be worn for all occasions, including social and business. The traditional head covering is the guthra ( a white or red and white checkered cloth) held in place by the agal (a black „rope‟). Arab men wear casual dress on very informal occasions or at the beach. Foreign men are not expected to wear Arab garments. Men should avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts in public. However, suits are rarely worn in the Gulf, except for important business meetings and related social events. Standard dress in the office is a shirt (usually long-sleeved), tie and lightweight trousers. Forms of Address: It is important to greet local people in the correct way. It is important to address a person by his full name, particularly on formal occasions and in correspondence. The general formal address is Sayyed (sir) for men and Sayeeda or Sayeedity (Madam) for women, followed by the person‟s full name. Rulers are addressed “Your Highness (Your Majesty). Senior members of the ruling families are called your Excellency followed by Shaik and their full name. Greetings: The most common greeting in the Gulf is Salam alaykum („Peace be upon you‟), and the correct reply to which is Wa alaykum as-salam („And upon you be peace‟). Other common greetings and the accepted replies are: Greeting Meaning Reply Ahlan wa sahlan Hello Ahlan bik, Sabah al-khayr Good mor ning/afternoon Sabah an-nur, Masa al-khayr Good evening Masa an-nur Note that tisbah alakhayr, meaning „good night‟, is said on parting, as in English, and the reply is wa inta min ahlu. You should always shake hands when greeting and parting from Arab men. In the case of Arab women, you should be guided by the woman‟s behaviour: many Arab women won‟t shake hands with non-Arab men, although educated women might. This is normal even with close friends whom you meet frequently. If the handshake you receive when leaving somebody is longer than the one you received when meeting him, it indicates that you‟ve made a good impression.

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Incidentally, newcomers should note that refusals or protracted reluctance to meet people are frowned upon. Note also that you shouldn‟t approach Arab women, look at them or talk to them unless you‟ve been properly introduced. After handshaking, it‟s customary to enquire after the other person‟s health and other matters, and you should expect similar enquiries to be directed at you. (Don‟t enquire after the health of the female members of an Arab‟s family, however, but restrict your questions to those regarding the family in general or the sons.) This may take a long time, as neither party wishes to be the one to draw matters to a close. Foreigners aren‟t expected to know or use all the subtleties this ritual involves, but you will make a good impression if you learn at least some of the standard expressions and use them in the correct way. Whether in face-to-face conversation or speaking to people on the telephone, don‟t talk business straight away; if you do so, Arabs will assume that you‟re impatient or not interested in them personally. Hands & Feet: You should accept refreshment whenever it‟s offered, but note that you should always use your right hand for drinking and eating, as the left hand is regarded as unclean (as it‟s used for „toilet purposes‟). Similarly, you should avoid showing the soles of your shoes or feet, which implies that you think the other person is „dirt‟, which is obviously highly offensive. You should therefore keep your feet flat on the ground and not cross your legs. Invitations: If you‟re invited to the home of an Arab, you should always accept. You should generally take every opportunity to become acquainted with local people and avoid the natural tendency to stay within the social and physical confines of your foreign „ghetto‟. Your Arab host will be interested in you and your views. However, you should avoid politics and religion as subjects for discussion; your opinions might be regarded as illinformed or even offensive, even if they seem acceptable to you from a western perspective. When you enter the majlis, the reception room for visitors, you should always remove your footwear, unless the host indicates otherwise. If you‟re with a female companion, she will be whisked off to join the women. You will almost certainly be offered something to drink and perhaps eat; accept the offer. Arabs are almost always polite and expect the same from those they meet, and believe that sharing a meal with a person positively affects the relationship. The standard greeting is Ahlan wa sahlan – which means welcome - and this will become familiar to all who visit Saudi Arabia. It‟s certainly worth learning enough Arabic to communicate the pleasantries, greetings and responses of the country you‟re living in.

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You will enjoy people‟s reaction and your hosts invariably offer encouragement to those who attempt to speak their language. It‟s important to note, however, that the Arabic language has a special significance, having been designed to carry the word of God, so it‟s important to use it respectfully. You should also never call at an Arab‟s house without warning him that you‟re coming. If the women of the family are present, this won‟t be appreciated. You should also avoid expressing admiration for any of your host‟s possessions, as tradition dictates that he must then offer it to you. Although this tradition isn‟t followed by everybody, it can nevertheless cause embarrassment. What‟s more, the correct response is for the recipient to give an even more valued gift in return, so think twice before admiring an Arab‟s Rolls Royce! Don’t Dos: You should also heed the following warnings: •

Don‟t offer alcoholic drinks to an Arab, unless you‟re certain that he drinks alcohol. This can cause great offence. • Don‟t walk on a prayer mat or in front of any person at prayer and try not to stare at people who are praying. • Don‟t try to enter a mosque without first asking permission. It‟s unlikely that you will be allowed in. • Don‟t try to enter the Holy sites or mosques. The roads are well signposted to notify everybody of this restriction. If a non-Muslim is found within the prohibited areas, he‟s likely to be assaulted and will be afforded no protection against the assailants. • Avoid blasphemy, particularly in the presence of Muslims. • Avoid putting an Arab in a position where he might suffer a „loss of face‟ in front of other Arabs. He will appreciate this, if he notices your action. • Don‟t beckon to people with a finger, as this is considered particularly impolite. Arabs might use such a gesture to summon a dog. • Avoid shouting and displays of aggression or drunkenness at all times, as such behavior is rarely tolerated. • During Ramadan, don‟t eat, drink or smoke anywhere where you can be seen by Muslims during the hours of daylight and don‟t engage in any noisy behavior or embrace or kiss anyone in public. Sources: Ray Jureidini (2003), Migrant Workers and Xenophobia in the Middle East, Geneva, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. International Labour Organisation (2006) www.ilo.org. Emigration and You- An Information Booklet, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 2004. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oman BBC NEWS. www.news.bbc.co.uk, www.justlanded.com. The World Fact Book. www.cia.gov Human Rights Watch.www.humanrightswatch.org The Hindu online edition. www.thehinduonline.com Ministry of overseas Indian Affairs. www.moia.gov.in. Indian Embassy Kuwait. www.indembkwt.org MOIA Annual Report.

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Part II OMAN Introduction Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world and is one of the more traditional ountries in the Gulf region. Till 1970, it used to be one of the most isolated states as well. Location: Situated at the south-east corner of the Gulf peninsula, Oman occupies a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the UAE. Till 1938, the year in which Sultan Said Bin Taimur came to power, Oman had experienced decades of international isolation and had been a society run on feudal lines and troubled by internal rebellion. It has a total area of 309,500 sq. km and a common border on the West with Saudi Arabia, of about 676 km. The country has a coast line of 2092 km. Climatically speaking, Oman is a desert land, hot and humid along the coast, hot and dry in the interior and strong south west monsoon rains in the far south during May to September. There are a few rugged mountains in the north and the south. Summer winds often raise large sandstorms in the interior parts and there occur periodic droughts. Natural resources: The natural resources of Oman are petroleum, copper, asbestos, natural gas, and some marble limestone, chromium and gypsum. Rising soil salinity, beach pollution from spills and scarcity of natural fresh water resources are some of the important environmental issues that Oman currently faces. History: In the 19th Century, Oman was an empire, which extended down the east African coast and vied with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Sultan Said bin Tamur was deposed in 1970 by his son Sultan Qaboos bin Said who opened up the country, embarked upon economic reforms and boosted spending on health education and welfare. Population: The total population of Oman came to 3 million in 2005, of which more than one-fifth is constituted by expatriates. The life expectancy of the native population was 73 years for men and 76 years for women in 2006. Besides the official language of Arabic, English is also used. The other languages spoken, mainly by the expatriate population include Baluchi, Urdu, Hindi and some other Indian languages.

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Political conditions: Oman had no political party, nor a legislature. But there exist bicameral representative bodies, which provide advice to the government. The judicial system bases itself on Shariathe Quranic law- and the oral teachings of the Prophet. Sharia courts functioned under the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs. An independent office of the Public Prosecutor has been created and the country has now a Supreme Court too. Administratively, the country is divided into three regions called governorates and 60 districts, for purposes of settling local disputes, collecting taxes, and maintaining peace. The three governors are appointed by the Sultan, with the rank of Ministers of State and the district executives (called Walis) are appointed by the Minister of Interior. In the place of the 10 year old State Consultative Council, the Sultan established in 1991, the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council), with a view to systematizing and broadening public participation in government. The three names sent by each district are reviewed by a cabinet committee and forwarded to the Sultan, who makes the final selection. The Consultative Council acts as a conduit of information between the people and the Ministries. It reviews drafts on economic legislation prepared by Ministries and makes recommendation on them, in subjects such communications, housing and financial plans. Oman incurs large defiance expenditures due to regional tensions and wars, struggles and agitations in the adjacent countries of Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. Defence expenditure accounted for about one –third of its public expenditures. Economy: Oman is a middle-income country, with low rates of inflation. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in 2000 and is in the process of liberalizing its markets. The government makes attempts to reduce its dependence on expatriate labour in order to reduce unemployment of natives. Private foreign investment has come to Oman in a big way in industry, information technology, tourism and higher education. The native currency unit of Oman is Riyal (equal to 1000 biaza), which is equivalent to 2.6 US Dollars (about Rs. 115). The average per capita income in 2006 was about US$ 9000. Agriculture contributes only about 3 percent of the GDP. The contribution of industry is as high as 40 percent and that of the services sector, 57 percent. The main agricultural products are dates, lime, banana, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle and fish. Industries comprise mainly crude oil production and refining , natural gas production, construction, production of cement, copper and steel, chemical industries, and manufacture of optic fibre. Oil was discovered in 1964. The oil resources are owned by Oman, Netherlands and France. Omani oil production has during the past three decades fluctuated widely between 285,000 barrels per day to 900,000 barrels per day due to several reasons such as depletion of recoverable oil resources, fluctuations in oil prices and coordination with the policies of the OPEC (in which Oman is not a member) Natural Gas resources, which provide fuel to several industrial projects, and power generation and desalination plants, stand at 24 trillion cubic feet. A liquefied natural gas (LPG) processing plant with a capacity of 6 million tons per year was completed in 2005.

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Oman became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2000, and has since been amending its financial and commercial practices to conform to international standards. Oman is engaged in the expansion of capacity of its international airports, seaports, roadways in important cities and port towns of the country. Copper mining and refining industries are being expanded. The establishment of oil refineries, patro–chemical complexes, fertilizer plants, aluminium smelters and cement factories is also on. Religion: Oman is a Muslim Country, but fairly liberal and tolerant. Islamic ideals provide the foundation of Omani customs, laws and practices. Foreigners are required to be sensitive to Islamic culture and observances. Dress should be modest and should not be revealing or provocative; sleeveless shirts and blouses, halter-tops and shorts should be avoided. Oman has its own brand of Islam called Ibadhism. Omanis are however, tolerant towards Shia and Sunni Muslims and even to believers of other faiths, who are allowed to open their churches, temples and gurudwaras. Beautiful, ornate mosques are found throughout Oman. Ramadhan is observed fastidiously, in fasting and praying, for about a month. Non Muslims are expected to observe the same principles as of the Muslims in their public conduct during the Ramadhan period. Muslim women do not marry Non-Muslim men. But Muslim men marry Non-Muslim women. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter mosques. Culture: Oman has a rich culture in arts, architecture and the intricacies of civil society. The Sultanate enjoys an unspoiled culture and traditional life style in almost every aspect. The country offers many an old-world wonder. Photography: Care should be exercised in taking pictures of persons particularly women. It is preferable to seek permission to take photographs. Photographing military and public facilities is banned. Consumption of Alcohol: Muscat, which is the capital of Oman, has hotels in which alcohol is served to some minority groups in a limited number of controlled situations. Consumption of alcohol is not permitted for Muslims in general. Retail outlets exist from which expatriates are allowed to purchase alcohol, which operate on a licensing system. During Ramadan, alcohol is not permitted to be sold anywhere. Consumption of alcohol should not cause any inconvenience or disturbance to the public. Heavy fines and even prison terms are imposed for traffic offences in which alcohol or its use is involved. Expatriate life style: If an expatriate is a male, non-Muslim and does not speak Arabic, life becomes dull. With a little effort, an expatriate could make life informative, interesting and rewarding.

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Expatriate women should wear tops with sleeves and long skirts or trousers. Men are requested to wear trousers and shirts with sleeves. Expatriate women should cover shoulders and knees and avoid figure hugging clothes. They should not wear shorts, strap sundresses, miniskirts and low-necked dresses in public places. It is good manners to exchange handshakes for greeting though traditional ways of Arab greeting are also widely observed. To begin a conversation with an Omani, start with a few pleasantries. A few words of Arabic would ease and warm up the situation quite a lot. Women may refuse to a handshake; it is courteous to bow with hand on the chest before a woman. Take off shoes before entering an Arabic household. Do not sit in a posture exposing the soles of your feet pointing at someone; and don‟t eat or offer things, with your left hand. People may address using the first name, not the surname. Don‟t refuse cool drinks, coffee or tea offered by your host. And don‟t drink more than three cups. Public Holidays: Islamic holidays are based on the lunar month. Holidays are announced on TV Oman. The birthday of the Prophet, Eid al-fitre and Eid al-adha are public holidays. Besides, the New years Day (January) the Renaissance Day (July 23) and the National Day (Novemer 18) are also public holidays. Transportation: Roadways are the principal means of transportation in Oman. No railways exist. Besides, there are numerous airports, seaports and harbours. Road conditions are good in general, in cities and towns: but poor roads exist in some rural areas. Travel at night may be hazardous due to Poor Street lighting, wandering livestock and speeding drivers. Seat belt is required and the use of non-hands-free cellular phones is prohibited during driving. In the event of an accident, the driver should not move the vehicle from the spot of the accident without police permission. In order to obtain an Omani driving licence, a driving test must be taken. Omani employers often ask expatriate employees to deposit their passports with the employer, although the practice is not required by Omani law. Entry: The documents required on entry to Oman are passport (original and two clear copies), visa/ residence permit (two clear copies) and work permit For Customs clearance, visa/residence permit is required. Personal effects may be opened for inspection by customs Authorities. Books, audio/ video cassettes, CDs and records and other literature will be screened by customs and released to the consignee only after approval by the Ministry of Information.

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Among the prohibited items are alcoholic beverages, tobacco and tobacco products, pornographic literature, wireless and communication equipment, political or religions literature (which may be allowed with prior approval of the Ministry of Information), drugs and narcotics, ivory, explosives, firearms, ammunition, knives, swords, daggers, spears etc, and products of Israeli origin. Most locals in Muscat understand English. It is advisable to purchase a guidebook, available in most bookshops in the city. Most brands of popular baby food are available and also the services of qualified pediatricians. Shopping malls have play areas for children. Oman offers all sorts of cuisine. Italian, Greek, Mexican, Japanese, English, American, Chinese and Indian, besides the local food. Social Customs in Arab Countries: Arab customs are, generally, very different from those in the west, and you should be aware of what you‟re expected to do and not to do. Acquaintance with local customs and social behaviour will make your adaptation easier. And being a foreigner, this adaptation is inevitable for you. Apart from criminal actions and behaviour, there are certain unwritten rules that you must observe in order to avoid offending local sensibilities. Dress: There are different ways of dressing for local and expatriate women Outside the home, Arab women dress according to religious custom ie they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black overgarment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered. Some Arab women (especially Saudis and those with strictly religious husbands) are totally covered, including their face and hands. This is to protect women from unwanted attention. Foreign women can wear western clothes but should always dress conservatively. Arabs proscribe clothes for women which reveal the shoulders, arms and legs. Any woman dressing provocatively will be regarded as being of „easy virtue‟ or perhaps even as a prostitute. In the home, Arab women often adopt western dress, particularly younger women, and there areno restrictions on dressing for foreign women in private. Arab men wear the thobe (a loose, ankle-length robe). It can be worn for all occasions, including social and business. The traditional head covering is the guthra (a white or red and white checkered cloth) held in place by the agal (a black „rope‟). Arab men wear casual dress on very informal occasions or at the beach. Foreign men are not expected to wear Arab garments. Men should avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts in public. However, suits are rarely worn in the Gulf, except for important business meetings and related social events. Standard dress in the office is a shirt (usually long-sleeved), tie and lightweight trousers.

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Forms of Address: It is important to greet local people in the correct way. It is important to address a person by his full name, particularly on formal occasions and in correspondence. The general formal address is Sayyed (sir) for men and Sayeeda or Sayeedity (Madam) for women, followed by the person‟s full name. Rulers are addressed “Your Highness (Your Majesty). Senior members of the ruling families are called your Excellency followed by Shaik and their full name. Greetings: The most common greeting in the Gulf is Salam alaykum („Peace be upon you‟), and the correct reply to which is Wa alaykum as-salam („And upon you be peace‟). Other common greetings and the accepted repliesare: Greeting Meaning Reply Ahlan wa sahlan Hello Ahlan bik Sabah al-khayr Good morning/afternoon Sabah an-nur Masa al-khayr Good evening Masa an-nur Note that tisbah ala-khayr, meaning „good night‟, is said on parting, as in English, and the reply is wa inta min ahlu.You should always shake hands when greeting and parting from Arab men. In the case of Arab women, you should be guided by the woman‟s behaviour: many Arab women won‟t shake hands with non-Arab men, although educated women might. This is normal even with close friends whom you meet frequently. If the handshake you receive when leaving somebody is longer than the one you received when meeting him, it indicates that you‟ve made a good impression. Incidentally, newcomers should note that refusals or protracted reluctance to meet people are frowned upon. Note also that you shouldn‟t approach Arab women, look at them or talk to them unless you‟ve been properly introduced. After handshaking, it‟s customary to enquire after the other person‟s health and other matters, and you should expect similar enquiries to be directed at you. (Don‟t enquire after the health of the female members of an Arab‟s family, however, but restrict your questions to those regarding the family in general or the sons.) This can take a long time, as neither party wishes to be the one to draw matters to a close. Foreigners aren‟t expected to know or use all the subtleties this ritual involves, but you will make a good impression if you learn at least some of the standard expressions and use them in the correct way. Whether in face-to-face conversation or speaking to people on the telephone, don‟t talk business straight away; if you do so, Arabs will assume that you‟re impatient or not interested in them personally.

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Hands & Feet: You should accept refreshment whenever it‟s offered, but note that you should always use your right hand for drinking and eating, as the left hand is regarded as unclean (as it‟s used for „toilet purposes‟). Similarly, you should avoid showing the soles of your shoes or feet, which implies that you think the other person is „dirt‟, which is obviously highly offensive. You should therefore keep your feet flat on the ground and not cross your legs. Invitations: If you‟re invited to the home of an Arab, you should always accept You should generally take every opportunity to become acquainted with local people and avoid the natural tendency to stay within the social and physical confines of your foreign „ghetto‟. Your Arab host will be interested in you and your views. However, you should avoid politics and religion as subjects for discussion; your opinions might be regarded as ill-informed or even offensive, even if they seem acceptable to you from a western perspective. When you enter the majlis, the reception room for visitors, you should always remove your footwear, unless the host indicates otherwise (you should therefore ensure that there are no holes in your socks!). If you‟re with a female companion, she will be whisked off to join the women. You will almost certainly be offered something to drink and perhaps eat; accept the offer. Arabs are almost always polite and expect the same from those theymeet, and believe that sharing a meal with a person positively affects the relationship. The standard greeting is Ahlan wa sahlan – which means welcome. It‟s certainly worth learning enough Arabic to communicate the pleasantries, greetings and responses of the country you‟re living in. You will enjoy people‟s reaction and your hosts invariably offer encouragement to those who attempt to speak their language. It‟s important to note, however, that the Arabic language has a special significance, having been designed to carry the word of God, so it‟s important to use it respectfully. You should also never call at an Arab‟s house without warning him that you‟re coming. If the women of the family are present, this won‟t be appreciated, particularly in Saudi Arabia. You should also avoid expressing admiration for any of your host‟s possessions, as tradition dictates that he must then offer it to you. Although this tradition isn‟t followed by everybody, it can nevertheless cause embarrassment. What‟s more, the correct response is for the recipient to give an even more valued gift in return, so think twice before admiring an Arab‟s Rolls Royce!

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Don’t Dos: •

Don‟t offer alcoholic drinks to an Arab, unless you‟re certain that he drinks alcohol. This can cause great offence.

•

Don‟t walk on a prayer mat or in front of any person at prayer and try not to stare at people who are praying.

•

Don‟t try to enter a mosque without first asking permission. It‟s unlikely that you will be allowed in.

•

Don‟t try to enter the Holy sites or mosques. The roads are well signposted to notify everybody of this restriction. If a non- Muslim is found within the prohibited areas, he‟s likely to be assaulted and will be afforded no protection against the assailants.

•

Avoid blasphemy, particularly in the presence of Muslims.

•

Avoid putting an Arab in a position where he might suffer a „loss of face‟ in front of other Arabs. He will appreciate this, if he notices your action.

•

Don‟t beckon to people with a finger, as this is considered particularly impolite. Arabs might use such a gesture to summon a dog.

•

Avoid shouting and displays of aggression or drunkenness at all times, as such behaviour is rarely tolerated.

•

During Ramadan, don‟t eat, drink or smoke anywhere where you can be seen by Muslims during the hours of daylight and don‟t engage in any noisy behaviour or embrace or kiss anyone in public.

Application for a new passport in lieu of lost / damaged Passport: List of documents to be submitted to the Embassy of India, Muscat, for processing the request for issue of Duplicate Passport in lieu of Lost Passport:1.

Police report issued by ROP, Immigration Department in Original and one Photocopy.

2.

Letter from Sponsor/Company briefly stating the Circumstances of Loss. He has also to certify the period of employment of the applicant with the Sponsor / Company 3. Copy of Sponsor‟s Identity Card.

3.

Letter from the applicant intimating the Circumstances of Loss of Passport.

4.

Copy of Employment Agreement or Labour Card or Residence Card of the applicant.

5.

Photocopy of the Passport reported Lost.

6.

Two sets of Passport application form duly filled and affixing Photos in the space provided with signature of the applicant across the photo.

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7.

Affidavit duly filled (Format available at the Counter)

8.

Two sets of Personal Particulars Form duly filled. (Format available at the counter)

9.

Total Seven (7) Numbers of Recent Passport Size Photograph of the applicant.

10. Applicant should come personally or the Documents should have been verified by the Honorary Consular Agent authorized by the Embassy. 11. Original Newspaper advertisement of Loss of Passport, published in Arabic and English Dailies in Oman. Full page of the newspapers containing the advertisement should be produced. Duplicate Passports Sr. No. Description Fee (RO): Issue of a duplicate passport in lieu of a lost/damaged passport. Where an application is made for a fresh passport 48.200 after the final expiry of an old passport, reported to be lost/damaged, the fees will be those prescribed for a fresh passport only. Renewals – Passports Sr. No. Description Fee (RO): Renewals - This service is applicable only in case the passport was issued with short validity initially. The passport may be _ extended to its full ten-year validity on application. (In case the applicant is a housemaid, it is extended only for a further period of 1 year) Miscellaneous Services: Sr. No. Description Fee (RO) 1.

Change of name after marriage 4.000

2.

Change of name 4.000

3.

Change of address 4.000

4.

ECNR 4.000

5.

Deletion of Child‟s name from the mother‟s passport 4.000

6.

Certificate pertaining to the deletion of a Child‟s name from the mother‟s passport 7.900

7.

Emergency Certificate 2.000

8.

Confirmation of passport details (in case of applying for a passport in India) - Telex Charges 4.000

9.

Registration of Indian nationals

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Visa Copy Attestation: Original Visa to be brought to the Embassy for verification along with two photocopies and photocopy of passport of the passenger. Affidavit / Declaration: The Affidavit / Declaration is to be signed by the applicant before concerned Consular Officer in the Embassy. It is to be submitted to the Embassy in duplicate alongwith passport copy of the applicant. Following documents are required to be submitted along with the forms for individual service contract: (a) Photocopy of passport of person being recruited (b) Commercial Registration (CR) copy of the sponsoring company. (c) Signatory copy (authorised signatories of the sponsoring company) (d) Labour Clearance from Ministry of Manpower (e) Original Visa alongwith two photocopies. Please note that the Service/Employment agreement [in bilingual i.e English & Arabic] should be attested by Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Recruitment of Maid Servant: The following are the guidelines for recruitment of an Indian housemaid :1.

The housemaid proposed to be employed in Oman should not be less than 30 years of age.

2.

Sponsor / agent should submit the following documents:-

i)

Application for employment of housemaid.

ii)

Employment/Service Agreement, in original, duly attested by the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Foreign affairs, Sultanate of Oman along with a photocopy.

iii)

Emigration Form in duplicate, duly signed by the sponsor.

iv)

5 copies of No Objection Certificate form with details of the proposed housemaid and sponsor duly filled in.

v)

An Undertaking as per standard form to be signed personally by the sponsor

vi)

Photocopy of the labour clearance for employing the housemaid.

vii)

Copy of relevant pages of the passport of the proposed housemaid.

viii) Certificate of Income/Salary of the sponsor (Minimum income of the sponsor should be RO. 500/-pm or RO.6000/- per year).

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ix)

Photocopy of sponsor‟s Identity Card. (or Labour card in case of non-Omanis).

x)

Photocopy of the housemaid‟s visa along with its original for verification.

xi)

Minimum salary of the housemaid should be RO. 50/- per month.

3.

Attestation Fee for documents is RO. 10.000. For visa copy, if to be attested, an additional attestation fee of RO. 4.000 will be charged. While application and supporting documents can be completed and presented to the Embassy by a representative/agent of the sponsor, all of them must be personally signed by the sponsor.

4.

On receipt of the above set of documents, the Embassy will attest Employment/Service Agreement and Emigration Form and issue No Objection Certificate (4 copies).

5.

The housemaid or her representative in India would present three copies of the No Objection Certificate to the office of the concerned Protector of Emigrants (list attached) for granting emigration clearance. The Protector of Emigrants will return all the three copies to the housemaid or her representative after stamping them and granting emigration clearance.

6.

All the three copies of the No Objection Certificate duly stamped by the concerned Protector of Emigrants should be presented by her to the immigration authorities at the airport/exit point at the time of her departure. After immigration authorities at the airport/ exit point have stamped all the three copies of the No Objection Certificate, the housemaid should collect one copy and bring to the Embassy on arrival in Oman. The remaining two copies will be retained by the immigration authorities at the exit point.

7.

Sponsor/agent should bring/send to the Embassy the housemaid alongwith the copy of the NOC issued by the Embassy (and duly endorsed by the concerned Protector of Emigrants and immigration authorities in India) within 4 weeks of the arrival of the housemaid in Oman.

Individual Employment Contract (Domestic Servants): Following documents are required to submitted along with the forms below: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Photocopy of passport of person recruited Commercial Registration (CR) copy of the sponsoring company. Signatory copy (authorised signatories of the sponsoring company) Labour Clearance from Ministry of Manpower Original Visa along with two photocopies.

Please note that the Service/Employment agreement: [in bilingual i.e English & Arabic] should be attested by Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Permit for Recruitment (Form VI) and Demand Letter Attestation: The following are the documents to be attached along with Form – VI: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Demand Letter - addressed to recruiting agent with details on account of number of persons to be employed, description of employment, qualification, eligibility, salary. A specimen of the Employment Contract. Commercial Registration (CR) copy of the sponsoring company. Signatory copy (authorised signatories of the sponsoring company). Labour Clearance from Ministry of Manpower.

On the basis of above Permit for recruitment (Form VI) and Demand Letter attestation, recruiting agent obtains permission of the concerned Protector of Emigrants for recruitment. Source: Ray Jureidini (2003), Migrant Workers and Xenophobia in the Middle East, Geneva, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. International Labour Organisation(2006) www.ilo.org Emigration and You- An Information Booklet, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 2004. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/countryprofiles, www.justlanded.com The World Fact Book, www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ ba-html. Human Rights Watch. www.thehinduonline.com,

www.humanrightswatch.org,

The

Hindu

online

edition.

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs(MOIA) www.moia.gov.in Annual Report of MOIA 2006-07, www.indemb-oman.org

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OMAN PRE DEPARTURE TRAINING MANUAL Definition: Emigration, in this context, means the departure of any person from India with a view to taking up any employment (whether or not under an agreement, with or without the assistance of a registered Recruiting Agent or employer) in any country or place outside India. The Present Situation Every year hundreds of thousands of Indians emigrate in search of job. The effect of economic liberalization in India is visible on labour migration too. One of the striking features of labour migration from India is that more than 90 percent of the total outflow is to the Middle East. The Emigration Act: The Emigration Act, 1983, seeks to safeguard the interests and ensure the welfare of emigrants. Only the recruiting agents registered with the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs are eligible as per the Act to conduct the business of recruitment for overseas employment and they are required to obtain proper Registration Certificates (RC) from the Protector General of Emigrants. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR OVERSEAS MIGRANTS The registered recruiting agents are authorized to collect from each category of worker a maximum service charge in 4 slabs as shown below. Maximum service charge Category of workers: Rs 2000 Unskilled Workers Rs 3000 Semiskilled workers Rs 5000 Skilled workers Rs 10000 Others than the above The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (Formerly Ministry of Labour and Employment) administers the Emigration Act through the eight offices of Protector of Emigrants (POEs). The offices are located at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochi, Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram. Special Provision for Women: With a view to preventing exploitation of Indian nationals and following the recommendations of the National Commission for Women, women of less than 30 years of age seeking employment under ECR category in any foreign country shall not be granted emigration clearance.

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Emigration Check Required (ECR) Category: This is the category of persons whose passports have been endorsed as “Emigration Check Required” (ECR). List of Countries for which Emigration Clearance is Required (ECR): 1. Afghanistan 2. Bahrain 3. Brunei 4. Kuwait 5. Indonesia 6. Jordan 7. Lebanon 8. Libya 9. Malaysia 10. Oman 11. Qatar 12. Sudan 13. Syria 14. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 15. Thailand 16. United Arab Emirates 17. Yemen 18. Iraq (Emigration banned) Guidelines for Emigration Clearance: The procedure for emigration clearance has been simplified. Emigration clearance to individuals is granted on the same day on which the application is made at any of the offices of the Protector of Emigrants (POE). Even where the clearance is required for groups, it is given on the same day at all POE offices. Applying for Emigration Clearance: The application for emigration clearance should be made in the prescribed form by the applicant directly or through a Recruiting Agent or through the employer concerned. Procedure for Emigration Clearance: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Emigration clearance will be made on the passport when the individual approaches either directly or through a registered Recruiting Agent. In cases in which the profession indicated in visa does not tally with the profession indicated in the passport, affidavit may be obtained from the Recruiting Agent. No clearance may be given for Iraq unless specifically authorized by Indian Embassy in Iraq. No emigration clearance shall be granted for recruiting Indian nationals for any Foreign Employer placed in „Prior Approval Category‟ (PAC)

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Documents Required for Semi-Skilled Workers: Semi-skilled individuals who seek emigration clearance directly from the Protectors of Emigrants (and not through Recruiting Agents) are required to produce the following documents in original for scrutiny and return: 1) 2) 3) 4)

Passport valid for a minimum period of six months with valid visa. Employment contract from foreign employer Challan towards deposit of prescribed fee. Insurance policy (applicable from December 25, 2003)

Documents Required for Unskilled Workers: Unskilled workers and women (not below 30 years of age) seeking employment abroad as housemaids/ domestic workers shall continue to furnish (in original) the following documents at the time of obtaining emigration clearance: 1) Passport valid for a minimum period of six months with valid Visa. 2) Work agreement from the foreign employer duly attested by the Indian Mission and signed by employer and employee or Permission letter from the concerned Indian Mission/ Post. Oman 3) Challan towards deposit of prescribed fee. 4) Insurance policy (applicable from December 25, 2003) The Protector of Emigrants (POE) shall, after satisfying himself about the accuracy of the particulars mentioned in the application and in the other documents submitted along with the application in the prescribed manner and form, grant emigration clearance. In case there is any deficiency, the POE shall intimate the same by order in writing to the applicant or, as the case may be, the Recruiting Agent or employer, through whom the applications have been made about the deficiencies and require him to make good such deficiencies within such time as may be specified in the order or reject the application. Documents Required for Emigration Through Project Exporter 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Valid Passport (Valid for at least 6 months) Valid visa in English language. Permit issued by Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, with effective date of validity. Valid Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Policy 2006 Valid Bank Guarantee Approval of the Ministry, if a candidate is a female aged 30 years or less.

Emigration Check Not Required (ECNR) Category: Section 22 of the Emigration Act, 1983 provides that no citizen of India shall migrate unless he obtains emigration clearance from the concerned Protector of Emigrants (POE). However, with a view to facilitating the movement of the workers, 13 categories of persons have been exempted from this requirement and have been placed under “Emigration Check Not Required‟ (ECNR) category. Such persons are not required to obtain any emigration clearance from the offices of POEs before seeking employment abroad.

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List of Persons/Categories of Workers Under ECNR: 1.

All holders of Diplomatic/ Official Passports

2.

All Gazetted Government Servants

3.

All Income-tax payers (including agricultural income tax payers) in their individual capacity

4.

All professional degree holders, such as Doctors holding MBBS degrees or Degrees in Ayurveda or Homeopathy, Accredited journalists, Engineers, Chartered Accountants, Lecturers, Teachers, Scientists, Advocates etc.

5.

Spouses and dependent children of category of persons listed from (2) to (4).

6.

Persons holding class 10 qualification or higher degrees.

7.

Seamen who are in possession of CDC or Sea Cadets, Desk Cadets

(i)

who have passed final examination of three year B.Sc. Nautical Sciences Course at T S Chanakya, Mumbai; and (ii) who have undergone three months pre-sea training at any of the government approved Training Institutes such as T S Chanakya, T S Rehman, T S Jawahar, MTI (SCI) and NIPM, Chennai after production of identity cards issued by the Shipping Master, Mumbai/ Kolkata/ Chennai.

8.

Persons holding permanent immigration visas, such as the visas of UK, USA and Australia.

9.

Persons possessing two years‟ diploma from any institute recognized by the national Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) or State Council of Vocational Training (SCVT) or persons holding three years‟ diploma/equivalent degree from institutions like polytechnics recognized by Central/State Governments.

10.

Nurses possessing qualifications recognized under the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947.

11.

All persons above the age of 50 years.

12.

All persons who have been staying abroad for more than three years (the period of three years could be either in one stretch or broken) and spouses.

13.

Children below 18 years of age.

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Countries for Which Emigration Clearance is Not Required: The number of countries for which emigration clearance is not required is 174. Guidelines for those who emigrate through the Recruiting Agents: Ensure the credibility of your Recruiting Agent (RA). Ask for the Registration Certificate issued by the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE), Govt. of India. Do not deal with the agent if he/she is not registered or if his/her registration is not valid. If you have any doubt, seek the help of the Protector of Emigrants (POEs) or the PGE. Do not deal with the sub-agents because they are not permitted under the Emigration Act. 1983 and Rules. Ask the RA to show the Demand Letter and Power of Attorneyfrom the foreign employer. Carefully go through the Employment Contract detailing all the conditions of employment including salary/wage. Do not pay any amount other than the approved service charge of Rs. 2000(Unskilled workers), Rs. 3000 (Semi-skilled workers), Rs. 5000 (Skilled workers) and Rs. 10,000 (other than the above). Precautions: You must always keep a photocopy of all the pages of your passport. If you lose your passport, inform the immediate Indian Mission immediately giving them details, i.e. passport number, date and place of issue, your name and date of entry in to the country of Employment. You would be able to give these details only if you keep a photocopy of your passport. Do not lose your copy of Employment Contract. Always keep a copy of the same. You must have the full name, address and telephone/fax number of your foreign employer, before you leave India. If you cannot locate your foreign employer, contact the nearest Indian mission immediately. Do not accept employment, either permanent or temporary, from any person/ establishment other than the sponsoring one. It will attract punishment. Get your visa/ employment contract renewed before it expires. If you are returning to India on leave, ensure that the validity period of your visa does not expire before you go back to the country of employment. Always ensure that your passport is valid. Get it renewed at least two months before it expires either from the concerned Indian Mission abroad or from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) in India.

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Make all payments preferably by Demand Draft or Cheque and obtain a receipt. Complaints of overcharging or cheating can be lodged with the concerned POE or with the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE). Guidelines for Emigrants: The Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) has issued guidelines, which the emigrants must keep in mind before leaving India and on reaching the foreign country. These are: Before You Leave, Ensure the Following: • You have a valid passport and visa; • You have a copy of the agreement signed by you and your foreign employer or his agent; • You have an insurance policy from any insurance company registered with IRDA. • You have opened a saving Bank Account to enable you to send your remittances. After Emigration you should be careful: • Not to lose your passport; • Not to sign any other agreement or sign on any blank piece of paper; • Not to strike work or resort to agitations. It is illegal and you may be sent back to India; • To always keep the address and telephone number of the Indian Embassy with you; and • To report all complaints to the Indian Embassy. Dos and Don’ts Dos: •

People seeking jobs abroad must deal with only registered agents.

•

Do not pay more than the prescribed service charges.

•

Complaints are to be lodged with the Protector-General of Emigrants, or the offices of Protectors of Emigrants in different parts of the country.

•

The emigrant workers must get their service contracts prepared in both English and Arabic. They should not part with their passports and copies of the service contracts.

•

Non-payment or delayed payment of wages could be reported to Indian missions, for redressal of grievances.

•

Do not move about in public without your identity card issued by the Oman government.

Verification of the genuineness of visa/employment contract: The Protectors of Emigrants‟ offices may be contacted with full details for clearing any doubts on the genuineness of visa. The matter may also be referred to the Embassy of India in the destination country, if necessary, with full particulars of the sponsor company (Name, Address, Telephone and Fax No.), which issued the visa, along with Passport particulars.

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Free Visa: There is no visa called „Free visa‟. In fact, free visa is either an employment or domestic category visa under which the employee works „freely‟ with another sponsor. This practice is illegal and should not be resorted to. Fate of Indian Nationals with ‘visit visa’: Some companies issue „visit visa‟ (commercial „visit visa‟) to meet their urgent manpower requirement for short-term work. After the work is finished, workers are allowed to come back (after leaving the country) on normal employment visa in case the employer needs them for further periods, or repatriated to India. Visit visa is different from employment visa and it is not covered by the labour laws of the destination countries. Therefore visit visa workers do not have legal rights. Employment Contract: Indian workers are advised to obtain written contract duly signed by the sponsor/employer company before arrival in the destination country. The official language of the contract recognized by the Gulf countries is Arabic. In a bilingual contract (English and Arabic), the Arabic version prevails in case of any dispute on the clauses of the contract. Essential terms of a contract: The contract should contain all terms of employment as per 15(2) Emigration Rules 1983. (i)

period of employment/place of employment ;

(ii)

wages and other conditions of service ;

(iii)

free food or food allowance provision ;

(iv)

free accommodation ;

(v)

provision in regard to disposal, or transportation to India, of dead body of the emigrant ;

(vi)

working hours, overtime allowance, other working conditions, leave and social security benefits as per local labour laws ;

(vii)

to-and-fro air-passage at the employers‟ cost ; and

(viii) mode of settlement of disputes; Obtaining copy of the contract while in India: As per the instructions of the Government of India, recruitment agents are expected to provide copy of employment contract to each worker before his departure. To safeguard his own interest, an individual worker has to demand from the recruitment agent a copy of the duly signed contract before commencement of overseas journey. Complaints may be lodged against defaulting agencies with the nearest Protector of Emigrants.

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Important Documents: In addition to all the originals, copies of the following documents may be retained with the employee. 1. employment contract, 2. passport, 3. visa and 4. certificates of educational qualifications Guidelines for those who emigrate through the Recruiting Agents : Ensure the credibility of your Recruiting Agent (RA). Ask for the Registration Certificate issued by the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE), Govt. of India. Do not deal with the agent if he/she is not registered or if his/her registration is not valid. If you have any doubt, seek the help of the Protector of Emigrants (POEs) or the PGE. Do not deal with the sub agents because they are not permitted under the Emigration Act. 1983 and Rules. Ask the RA to show the Demand Letter and Power of Attorney from the foreign employer. Carefully go through the Employment Contract detailing all the conditions of employment including salary/wage. Do not pay any amount other than the approved service charge of Rs. 2000 (Unskilled workers), Rs. 3000 (Semi-skilled workers), Rs. 5000 (Skilled workers) and Rs. 10,000 (other than the above). Precautions: You must always keep a photocopy of all the pages of your passport. If you lose your passport, inform the Indian Mission immediately giving them details, i.e. passport number, date and place of issue, your name and date of entry in the country of employment. You can give these details only if you keep a photocopy of your passport. Do not lose your copy of Employment Contract. Always keep a copy of the same. You must have the full name, address and telephone/fax number of your foreign employer, before you leave India. If you cannot locate your foreign employer, contact the nearest Indian mission immediately.

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Do not accept employment, either permanent or temporary, from any person/ establishment other than the sponsoring one. It willattract punishment. Get your visa/ employment contract renewed before it expires. If you are returning to India on leave, ensure that the validity period of your visa does not expire before you go back to the country ofemployment. Always ensure that your passport is valid. Get it renewed at least two months before it expires either from the concerned Indian Mission abroad or from the Regional Passport Office (RPO) inIndia. Check Before Departure: Ensure you have a valid Passport at least for 06 months. A valid Visa must be either stamped on or accompany your Passport. Always keep a photocopy of your Passport and Visa. You must possess a copy of the Employment Contract singed by you and your foreign employer duly attested by the registered recruiting agent. Insist on a copy of Employment Contract in English duly authenticated by the recruiting agent. Open a Saving Bank N.R.E. Account in one of the Banks in India to enable you to send your remittances from abroad. Get familiar with local labour laws, working and living conditions of the country of employment. Keep complete address of the Indian Embassy there with you. In the Country of Your Employment: Obtain a Resident Permit or Identity Card, Labour Card or IQUAMA. DO NOT part with your Passport and copy of Employment Contract signed by you in India. DO NOT sign any other Employment Contract or any blank paper. DO NOT strike work or resort to agitations. These are illegal under local labour laws. You could be arrested, imprisoned and also deported. AVOID all contacts that may result in AIDS – a dreaded disease. Keep in touch with the nearest Indian Mission and report any complaints about non-payment or delayed payment of wages or compensations or any other problem to the Indian Mission. Customs Formalities: Personal baggage – Customs checking is VERY STRICT. Kindly cooperate with the Customs staff at the International Airport. Ensure that you do not carry any narcotics or alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is strictly prohibited. Its consumption is a serious offence attracting severe punishment.

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DO NOT accept any unchecked parcel from any one. If you have to take a parcel for someone, check thoroughly that it does not contain alcohol or narcotics. Otherwise, it may land you in serious difficulties on arrival in the country of employment. List of Offices of Protector of Emigrants in India: 1. Protector of Emigrants, New Delhi, Jaisalmer House, Canteen Block, Mansigh Road. ND 110001, Ph. 3382472 2. Protector of Emigrants Bombay Building “E” Khira Nagar, S V Road, Santa Cruz (West) Mumbai, 400054 Ph. 022-6147393, 022 6123579 3. Protector of Emigrants Trivandrum Sugandh, 24/846 (1) Thycaud, Trivandrum 695014, Ph. 0471 64835 4. Protector of Emigrants Kochi Mercy Estate Ravipuram, M G Road Kochi 682015 Ph 0484 360187 5. Protector of Emigrants Chennai TNHB Shopping Complex Ashok Nagar, Chennai 600083 Ph. 044 24821337 6. Protector of Emigrants Chandigarh Kendriya Sadan, Fifth Block, Ground Floor, Sector 9A, Chandigargh- 160017 Ph. 0172- 741790 7. Protector of Emigrants Kolkata Room No: 116, A- Wing, 3rd Floor, M S O Building, D F Block, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700064, Ph. 033 343407 8. Protector of Emigrants Hyderabad, 8th Floor, Chandra Vihar, APHB, MG Road, Hyderabad- 500001, Ph: 040 4732867 Important Contacts: Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs Government of India, Akbar Bhavan , Chanakya Puri New Delhi-110021, Telephone No 91-11-2419700, Fax No: 91-11-24197919, Email: [email protected] Shri. Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs, Phone (O) 91-11-24676836/37 Fax (O) 91-11-24197985, Email ID : [email protected], Phone (R) 91-11-23792148/49 Fax (R) 91-11-23792142, Centre for Development Studies 19, Shri. K. Mohandas, Secretary, MOIA, Phone: 91-11-24674144, - 24674143, -24197902 -24197991, Email: [email protected] Shri. J Panda, Protector General of Emigrants, Phone 91-11-24197972, -26874250 Email ID: [email protected], Passport Information: http://passport.nic.in

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The Chief Passport Officer, CPV Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House, NewDelhi. Tel. +91-11-23387104.. Fax +91-11-23387281, Email: [email protected], Public Relation Officer Ministry of External Affairs, Tel. +91-11-23384519, Email:, [email protected] Public can address their queries and grievances at, [email protected]. Consultation With Public: PGE conducts the Public Hearings in the office of the Protector of Emigrants, Jaisalmer House, Canteen Block, Mansingh Road, New Delhi between 3.00 PM to 4.00 PM. on all Tuesdays where members of the public could come with their grievances/suggestions without any appointment. Information Under RTI Act: For information (under the RTI Act, 2005) citizens may approach the Public Information Officer (RTI) of Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs available from 10:00 hrs to 13:00 hrs on each day (except Monday and Friday). The information pertaining to MOIA is also available on the MOIA Website (http://www.moia.gov.in) in detail. Further, the citizens may also approach the PIO (RTI) using email addresses [email protected] & [email protected] Information Available on the Website of MOIA: • Revised emigration requirements • Recruiting agents having suspended RC • Online emigration clearance system • List of Registered recruiting agents with valid RC as on 15-05-2007 • Internal watchlist of recruiting agents • Recruiting agents having cancelled RC • Foreign employers on PAC • Project Exporters • Emigration Act, 1983 • Emigration Rules • Pravsi Bharatiya Bhima Yojana 2003 • Redressal of Public Grievances Information on Recruiting Agents and Black-Listed Foreign Employers • Guidelnes for recruiting agents/guidelines for prospective Emigrant workers. Centre for Development Studies 21 Oman

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Part II OMAN Introduction Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world and is one of the more traditional ountries in the Gulf region. Till 1970, it used to be one of the most isolated states as well. Location: Situated at the south-east corner of the Gulf peninsula, Oman occupies a strategically important position at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, between Yemen and the UAE. Till 1938, the year in which Sultan Said Bin Taimur came to power, Oman had experienced decades of international isolation and had been a society run on feudal lines and troubled by internal rebellion. It has a total area of 309,500 sq. km and a common border on the West with Saudi Arabia, of about 676 km. The country has a coast line of 2092 km. Climatically speaking, Oman is a desert land, hot and humid along the coast, hot and dry in the interior and strong south west monsoon rains in the far south during May to September. There are a few rugged mountains in the north and the south. Summer winds often raise large sandstorms in the interior parts and there occur periodic droughts. Natural resources: The natural resources of Oman are petroleum, copper, asbestos, natural gas, and some marble limestone, chromium and gypsum. Rising soil salinity, beach pollution from spills and scarcity of natural fresh water resources are some of the important environmental issues that Oman currently faces. History: In the 19th Century, Oman was an empire, which extended down the east African coast and vied with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Sultan Said bin Tamur was deposed in 1970 by his son Sultan Qaboos bin Said who opened up the country, embarked upon economic reforms and boosted spending on health education and welfare. Population: The total population of Oman came to 3 million in 2005, of which more than one-fifth is constituted by expatriates. The life expectancy of the native population was 73 years for men and 76 years for women in 2006. Besides the official language of Arabic, English is also used. The other languages spoken, mainly by the expatriate population include Baluchi, Urdu, Hindi and some other Indian languages.

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Political conditions: Oman had no political party, nor a legislature. But there exist bicameral representative bodies, which provide advice to the government. The judicial system bases itself on Shariathe Quranic law- and the oral teachings of the Prophet. Sharia courts functioned under the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs. An independent office of the Public Prosecutor has been created and the country has now a Supreme Court too. Administratively, the country is divided into three regions called governorates and 60 districts, for purposes of settling local disputes, collecting taxes, and maintaining peace. The three governors are appointed by the Sultan, with the rank of Ministers of State and the district executives (called Walis) are appointed by the Minister of Interior. In the place of the 10 year old State Consultative Council, the Sultan established in 1991, the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council), with a view to systematizing and broadening public participation in government. The three names sent by each district are reviewed by a cabinet committee and forwarded to the Sultan, who makes the final selection. The Consultative Council acts as a conduit of information between the people and the Ministries. It reviews drafts on economic legislation prepared by Ministries and makes recommendation on them, in subjects such communications, housing and financial plans. Oman incurs large defiance expenditures due to regional tensions and wars, struggles and agitations in the adjacent countries of Iraq, Iran and Kuwait. Defence expenditure accounted for about one –third of its public expenditures. Economy: Oman is a middle-income country, with low rates of inflation. Oman joined the World Trade Organization in 2000 and is in the process of liberalizing its markets. The government makes attempts to reduce its dependence on expatriate labour in order to reduce unemployment of natives. Private foreign investment has come to Oman in a big way in industry, information technology, tourism and higher education. The native currency unit of Oman is Riyal (equal to 1000 biaza), which is equivalent to 2.6 US Dollars (about Rs. 115). The average per capita income in 2006 was about US$ 9000. Agriculture contributes only about 3 percent of the GDP. The contribution of industry is as high as 40 percent and that of the services sector, 57 percent. The main agricultural products are dates, lime, banana, alfalfa, vegetables, camels, cattle and fish. Industries comprise mainly crude oil production and refining , natural gas production, construction, production of cement, copper and steel, chemical industries, and manufacture of optic fibre. Oil was discovered in 1964. The oil resources are owned by Oman, Netherlands and France. Omani oil production has during the past three decades fluctuated widely between 285,000 barrels per day to 900,000 barrels per day due to several reasons such as depletion of recoverable oil resources, fluctuations in oil prices and coordination with the policies of the OPEC (in which Oman is not a member) Natural Gas resources, which provide fuel to several industrial projects, and power generation and desalination plants, stand at 24 trillion cubic feet. A liquefied natural gas (LPG) processing plant with a capacity of 6 million tons per year was completed in 2005.

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Oman became a member of the World Trade Organization in 2000, and has since been amending its financial and commercial practices to conform to international standards. Oman is engaged in the expansion of capacity of its international airports, seaports, roadways in important cities and port towns of the country. Copper mining and refining industries are being expanded. The establishment of oil refineries, patro–chemical complexes, fertilizer plants, aluminium smelters and cement factories is also on. Religion: Oman is a Muslim Country, but fairly liberal and tolerant. Islamic ideals provide the foundation of Omani customs, laws and practices. Foreigners are required to be sensitive to Islamic culture and observances. Dress should be modest and should not be revealing or provocative; sleeveless shirts and blouses, halter-tops and shorts should be avoided. Oman has its own brand of Islam called Ibadhism. Omanis are however, tolerant towards Shia and Sunni Muslims and even to believers of other faiths, who are allowed to open their churches, temples and gurudwaras. Beautiful, ornate mosques are found throughout Oman. Ramadhan is observed fastidiously, in fasting and praying, for about a month. Non Muslims are expected to observe the same principles as of the Muslims in their public conduct during the Ramadhan period. Muslim women do not marry Non-Muslim men. But Muslim men marry Non-Muslim women. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter mosques. Culture: Oman has a rich culture in arts, architecture and the intricacies of civil society. The Sultanate enjoys an unspoiled culture and traditional life style in almost every aspect. The country offers many an old-world wonder. Photography: Care should be exercised in taking pictures of persons particularly women. It is preferable to seek permission to take photographs. Photographing military and public facilities is banned. Consumption of Alcohol: Muscat, which is the capital of Oman, has hotels in which alcohol is served to some minority groups in a limited number of controlled situations. Consumption of alcohol is not permitted for Muslims in general. Retail outlets exist from which expatriates are allowed to purchase alcohol, which operate on a licensing system. During Ramadan, alcohol is not permitted to be sold anywhere. Consumption of alcohol should not cause any inconvenience or disturbance to the public. Heavy fines and even prison terms are imposed for traffic offences in which alcohol or its use is involved. Expatriate life style: If an expatriate is a male, non-Muslim and does not speak Arabic, life becomes dull. With a little effort, an expatriate could make life informative, interesting and rewarding.

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Expatriate women should wear tops with sleeves and long skirts or trousers. Men are requested to wear trousers and shirts with sleeves. Expatriate women should cover shoulders and knees and avoid figure hugging clothes. They should not wear shorts, strap sundresses, miniskirts and low-necked dresses in public places. It is good manners to exchange handshakes for greeting though traditional ways of Arab greeting are also widely observed. To begin a conversation with an Omani, start with a few pleasantries. A few words of Arabic would ease and warm up the situation quite a lot. Women may refuse to a handshake; it is courteous to bow with hand on the chest before a woman. Take off shoes before entering an Arabic household. Do not sit in a posture exposing the soles of your feet pointing at someone; and don‟t eat or offer things, with your left hand. People may address using the first name, not the surname. Don‟t refuse cool drinks, coffee or tea offered by your host. And don‟t drink more than three cups. Public Holidays: Islamic holidays are based on the lunar month. Holidays are announced on TV Oman. The birthday of the Prophet, Eid al-fitre and Eid al-adha are public holidays. Besides, the New years Day (January) the Renaissance Day (July 23) and the National Day (Novemer 18) are also public holidays. Transportation: Roadways are the principal means of transportation in Oman. No railways exist. Besides, there are numerous airports, seaports and harbours. Road conditions are good in general, in cities and towns: but poor roads exist in some rural areas. Travel at night may be hazardous due to Poor Street lighting, wandering livestock and speeding drivers. Seat belt is required and the use of non-hands-free cellular phones is prohibited during driving. In the event of an accident, the driver should not move the vehicle from the spot of the accident without police permission. In order to obtain an Omani driving licence, a driving test must be taken. Omani employers often ask expatriate employees to deposit their passports with the employer, although the practice is not required by Omani law. Entry: The documents required on entry to Oman are passport (original and two clear copies), visa/ residence permit (two clear copies) and work permit For Customs clearance, visa/residence permit is required. Personal effects may be opened for inspection by customs Authorities. Books, audio/ video cassettes, CDs and records and other literature will be screened by customs and released to the consignee only after approval by the Ministry of Information.

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Among the prohibited items are alcoholic beverages, tobacco and tobacco products, pornographic literature, wireless and communication equipment, political or religions literature (which may be allowed with prior approval of the Ministry of Information), drugs and narcotics, ivory, explosives, firearms, ammunition, knives, swords, daggers, spears etc, and products of Israeli origin. Most locals in Muscat understand English. It is advisable to purchase a guidebook, available in most bookshops in the city. Most brands of popular baby food are available and also the services of qualified pediatricians. Shopping malls have play areas for children. Oman offers all sorts of cuisine. Italian, Greek, Mexican, Japanese, English, American, Chinese and Indian, besides the local food. Social Customs in Arab Countries: Arab customs are, generally, very different from those in the west, and you should be aware of what you‟re expected to do and not to do. Acquaintance with local customs and social behaviour will make your adaptation easier. And being a foreigner, this adaptation is inevitable for you. Apart from criminal actions and behaviour, there are certain unwritten rules that you must observe in order to avoid offending local sensibilities. Dress: There are different ways of dressing for local and expatriate women Outside the home, Arab women dress according to religious custom ie they must cover most of the body, from head to foot. The traditional black overgarment (abaya) is ankle length with long sleeves and a high neckline, and the hair is covered. Some Arab women (especially Saudis and those with strictly religious husbands) are totally covered, including their face and hands. This is to protect women from unwanted attention. Foreign women can wear western clothes but should always dress conservatively. Arabs proscribe clothes for women which reveal the shoulders, arms and legs. Any woman dressing provocatively will be regarded as being of „easy virtue‟ or perhaps even as a prostitute. In the home, Arab women often adopt western dress, particularly younger women, and there areno restrictions on dressing for foreign women in private. Arab men wear the thobe (a loose, ankle-length robe). It can be worn for all occasions, including social and business. The traditional head covering is the guthra (a white or red and white checkered cloth) held in place by the agal (a black „rope‟). Arab men wear casual dress on very informal occasions or at the beach. Foreign men are not expected to wear Arab garments. Men should avoid wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts in public. However, suits are rarely worn in the Gulf, except for important business meetings and related social events. Standard dress in the office is a shirt (usually long-sleeved), tie and lightweight trousers.

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Forms of Address: It is important to greet local people in the correct way. It is important to address a person by his full name, particularly on formal occasions and in correspondence. The general formal address is Sayyed (sir) for men and Sayeeda or Sayeedity (Madam) for women, followed by the person‟s full name. Rulers are addressed “Your Highness (Your Majesty). Senior members of the ruling families are called your Excellency followed by Shaik and their full name. Greetings: The most common greeting in the Gulf is Salam alaykum („Peace be upon you‟), and the correct reply to which is Wa alaykum as-salam („And upon you be peace‟). Other common greetings and the accepted repliesare: Greeting Meaning Reply Ahlan wa sahlan Hello Ahlan bik Sabah al-khayr Good morning/afternoon Sabah an-nur Masa al-khayr Good evening Masa an-nur Note that tisbah ala-khayr, meaning „good night‟, is said on parting, as in English, and the reply is wa inta min ahlu.You should always shake hands when greeting and parting from Arab men. In the case of Arab women, you should be guided by the woman‟s behaviour: many Arab women won‟t shake hands with non-Arab men, although educated women might. This is normal even with close friends whom you meet frequently. If the handshake you receive when leaving somebody is longer than the one you received when meeting him, it indicates that you‟ve made a good impression. Incidentally, newcomers should note that refusals or protracted reluctance to meet people are frowned upon. Note also that you shouldn‟t approach Arab women, look at them or talk to them unless you‟ve been properly introduced. After handshaking, it‟s customary to enquire after the other person‟s health and other matters, and you should expect similar enquiries to be directed at you. (Don‟t enquire after the health of the female members of an Arab‟s family, however, but restrict your questions to those regarding the family in general or the sons.) This can take a long time, as neither party wishes to be the one to draw matters to a close. Foreigners aren‟t expected to know or use all the subtleties this ritual involves, but you will make a good impression if you learn at least some of the standard expressions and use them in the correct way. Whether in face-to-face conversation or speaking to people on the telephone, don‟t talk business straight away; if you do so, Arabs will assume that you‟re impatient or not interested in them personally.

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Hands & Feet: You should accept refreshment whenever it‟s offered, but note that you should always use your right hand for drinking and eating, as the left hand is regarded as unclean (as it‟s used for „toilet purposes‟). Similarly, you should avoid showing the soles of your shoes or feet, which implies that you think the other person is „dirt‟, which is obviously highly offensive. You should therefore keep your feet flat on the ground and not cross your legs. Invitations: If you‟re invited to the home of an Arab, you should always accept You should generally take every opportunity to become acquainted with local people and avoid the natural tendency to stay within the social and physical confines of your foreign „ghetto‟. Your Arab host will be interested in you and your views. However, you should avoid politics and religion as subjects for discussion; your opinions might be regarded as ill-informed or even offensive, even if they seem acceptable to you from a western perspective. When you enter the majlis, the reception room for visitors, you should always remove your footwear, unless the host indicates otherwise (you should therefore ensure that there are no holes in your socks!). If you‟re with a female companion, she will be whisked off to join the women. You will almost certainly be offered something to drink and perhaps eat; accept the offer. Arabs are almost always polite and expect the same from those theymeet, and believe that sharing a meal with a person positively affects the relationship. The standard greeting is Ahlan wa sahlan – which means welcome. It‟s certainly worth learning enough Arabic to communicate the pleasantries, greetings and responses of the country you‟re living in. You will enjoy people‟s reaction and your hosts invariably offer encouragement to those who attempt to speak their language. It‟s important to note, however, that the Arabic language has a special significance, having been designed to carry the word of God, so it‟s important to use it respectfully. You should also never call at an Arab‟s house without warning him that you‟re coming. If the women of the family are present, this won‟t be appreciated, particularly in Saudi Arabia. You should also avoid expressing admiration for any of your host‟s possessions, as tradition dictates that he must then offer it to you. Although this tradition isn‟t followed by everybody, it can nevertheless cause embarrassment. What‟s more, the correct response is for the recipient to give an even more valued gift in return, so think twice before admiring an Arab‟s Rolls Royce!

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Don’t Dos: •

Don‟t offer alcoholic drinks to an Arab, unless you‟re certain that he drinks alcohol. This can cause great offence.

•

Don‟t walk on a prayer mat or in front of any person at prayer and try not to stare at people who are praying.

•

Don‟t try to enter a mosque without first asking permission. It‟s unlikely that you will be allowed in.

•

Don‟t try to enter the Holy sites or mosques. The roads are well signposted to notify everybody of this restriction. If a non- Muslim is found within the prohibited areas, he‟s likely to be assaulted and will be afforded no protection against the assailants.

•

Avoid blasphemy, particularly in the presence of Muslims.

•

Avoid putting an Arab in a position where he might suffer a „loss of face‟ in front of other Arabs. He will appreciate this, if he notices your action.

•

Don‟t beckon to people with a finger, as this is considered particularly impolite. Arabs might use such a gesture to summon a dog.

•

Avoid shouting and displays of aggression or drunkenness at all times, as such behaviour is rarely tolerated.

•

During Ramadan, don‟t eat, drink or smoke anywhere where you can be seen by Muslims during the hours of daylight and don‟t engage in any noisy behaviour or embrace or kiss anyone in public.

Application for a new passport in lieu of lost / damaged Passport: List of documents to be submitted to the Embassy of India, Muscat, for processing the request for issue of Duplicate Passport in lieu of Lost Passport:1.

Police report issued by ROP, Immigration Department in Original and one Photocopy.

2.

Letter from Sponsor/Company briefly stating the Circumstances of Loss. He has also to certify the period of employment of the applicant with the Sponsor / Company 3. Copy of Sponsor‟s Identity Card.

3.

Letter from the applicant intimating the Circumstances of Loss of Passport.

4.

Copy of Employment Agreement or Labour Card or Residence Card of the applicant.

5.

Photocopy of the Passport reported Lost.

6.

Two sets of Passport application form duly filled and affixing Photos in the space provided with signature of the applicant across the photo.

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7.

Affidavit duly filled (Format available at the Counter)

8.

Two sets of Personal Particulars Form duly filled. (Format available at the counter)

9.

Total Seven (7) Numbers of Recent Passport Size Photograph of the applicant.

10. Applicant should come personally or the Documents should have been verified by the Honorary Consular Agent authorized by the Embassy. 11. Original Newspaper advertisement of Loss of Passport, published in Arabic and English Dailies in Oman. Full page of the newspapers containing the advertisement should be produced. Duplicate Passports Sr. No. Description Fee (RO): Issue of a duplicate passport in lieu of a lost/damaged passport. Where an application is made for a fresh passport 48.200 after the final expiry of an old passport, reported to be lost/damaged, the fees will be those prescribed for a fresh passport only. Renewals – Passports Sr. No. Description Fee (RO): Renewals - This service is applicable only in case the passport was issued with short validity initially. The passport may be _ extended to its full ten-year validity on application. (In case the applicant is a housemaid, it is extended only for a further period of 1 year) Miscellaneous Services: Sr. No. Description Fee (RO) 10.

Change of name after marriage 4.000

11.

Change of name 4.000

12.

Change of address 4.000

13.

ECNR 4.000

14.

Deletion of Child‟s name from the mother‟s passport 4.000

15.

Certificate pertaining to the deletion of a Child‟s name from the mother‟s passport 7.900

16.

Emergency Certificate 2.000

17.

Confirmation of passport details (in case of applying for a passport in India) - Telex Charges 4.000

18.

Registration of Indian nationals

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Visa Copy Attestation: Original Visa to be brought to the Embassy for verification along with two photocopies and photocopy of passport of the passenger. Affidavit / Declaration: The Affidavit / Declaration is to be signed by the applicant before concerned Consular Officer in the Embassy. It is to be submitted to the Embassy in duplicate alongwith passport copy of the applicant. Following documents are required to be submitted along with the forms for individual service contract: (a) Photocopy of passport of person being recruited (b) Commercial Registration (CR) copy of the sponsoring company. (c) Signatory copy (authorised signatories of the sponsoring company) (d) Labour Clearance from Ministry of Manpower (e) Original Visa alongwith two photocopies. Please note that the Service/Employment agreement [in bilingual i.e English & Arabic] should be attested by Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Recruitment of Maid Servant: The following are the guidelines for recruitment of an Indian housemaid :1.

The housemaid proposed to be employed in Oman should not be less than 30 years of age.

2.

Sponsor / agent should submit the following documents:-

i)

Application for employment of housemaid.

ii)

Employment/Service Agreement, in original, duly attested by the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Foreign affairs, Sultanate of Oman along with a photocopy.

iii)

Emigration Form in duplicate, duly signed by the sponsor.

iv)

5 copies of No Objection Certificate form with details of the proposed housemaid and sponsor duly filled in.

v)

An Undertaking as per standard form to be signed personally by the sponsor

vi)

Photocopy of the labour clearance for employing the housemaid.

vii)

Copy of relevant pages of the passport of the proposed housemaid.

viii) Certificate of Income/Salary of the sponsor (Minimum income of the sponsor should be RO. 500/-pm or RO.6000/- per year).

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ix)

Photocopy of sponsor‟s Identity Card. (or Labour card in case of non-Omanis).

x)

Photocopy of the housemaid‟s visa along with its original for verification.

xi)

Minimum salary of the housemaid should be RO. 50/- per month.

3.

Attestation Fee for documents is RO. 10.000. For visa copy, if to be attested, an additional attestation fee of RO. 4.000 will be charged. While application and supporting documents can be completed and presented to the Embassy by a representative/agent of the sponsor, all of them must be personally signed by the sponsor.

4.

On receipt of the above set of documents, the Embassy will attest Employment/Service Agreement and Emigration Form and issue No Objection Certificate (4 copies).

5.

The housemaid or her representative in India would present three copies of the No Objection Certificate to the office of the concerned Protector of Emigrants (list attached) for granting emigration clearance. The Protector of Emigrants will return all the three copies to the housemaid or her representative after stamping them and granting emigration clearance.

6.

All the three copies of the No Objection Certificate duly stamped by the concerned Protector of Emigrants should be presented by her to the immigration authorities at the airport/exit point at the time of her departure. After immigration authorities at the airport/ exit point have stamped all the three copies of the No Objection Certificate, the housemaid should collect one copy and bring to the Embassy on arrival in Oman. The remaining two copies will be retained by the immigration authorities at the exit point.

7.

Sponsor/agent should bring/send to the Embassy the housemaid alongwith the copy of the NOC issued by the Embassy (and duly endorsed by the concerned Protector of Emigrants and immigration authorities in India) within 4 weeks of the arrival of the housemaid in Oman.

Individual Employment Contract (Domestic Servants): Following documents are required to submitted along with the forms below: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Photocopy of passport of person recruited Commercial Registration (CR) copy of the sponsoring company. Signatory copy (authorised signatories of the sponsoring company) Labour Clearance from Ministry of Manpower Original Visa along with two photocopies.

Please note that the Service/Employment agreement: [in bilingual i.e English & Arabic] should be attested by Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Permit for Recruitment (Form VI) and Demand Letter Attestation: The following are the documents to be attached along with Form – VI: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Demand Letter - addressed to recruiting agent with details on account of number of persons to be employed, description of employment, qualification, eligibility, salary. A specimen of the Employment Contract. Commercial Registration (CR) copy of the sponsoring company. Signatory copy (authorised signatories of the sponsoring company). Labour Clearance from Ministry of Manpower.

On the basis of above Permit for recruitment (Form VI) and Demand Letter attestation, recruiting agent obtains permission of the concerned Protector of Emigrants for recruitment. Source: Ray Jureidini (2003), Migrant Workers and Xenophobia in the Middle East, Geneva, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. International Labour Organisation(2006) www.ilo.org Emigration and You- An Information Booklet, Protector General of Emigrants, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, 2004. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/countryprofiles, www.justlanded.com The World Fact Book, www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ ba-html. Human Rights Watch. www.thehinduonline.com,

www.humanrightswatch.org,

The

Hindu

online

edition.

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs(MOIA) www.moia.gov.in Annual Report of MOIA 2006-07, www.indemb-oman.org

Page No. 75 Manual Report Pre departure training

BAHRAIN Minimum Wages recommended for different Categories of workers in Bahrain: S. No.

Category Minimum wages

No per Month (BD)

1. 2.

Accountants Accounts Assistant/Office Assistant/Computer Programmer/ Secretaries/Stenographers Artists Baby-Sitters Butchers Captains (Ships) Chemists/Pharmacists Cleaners Clerks/Accounts Clerks/Cashiers/Typists /Store Keepers Commercial Advs. Designers Cooks (for House) Cooks (for Restaurant) Dentures Drivers (Cars/Buses/Trucks) Engineer (Junior Grade) /Foreman /Supervisors (holding Certificates/Diplomas) Fishermen Gardeners/Farm Workers Goldsmiths Hair Cutters / Hair Dressers Heavy Duty Drivers (Cranes/ Bulldozers/Dumpers) Heavy Duty Operators Helpers to Technicians & Skilled Traders Housemaids/House Boys/Nannies etc (Food & Accomodation also to be provided in addition to the recommended wages Interior Decorators Laminators Leather Workers / Seat Makers Light Duty Operators Lubricators Managers/Directors Masons/Carpenters/Steel Fitters/ Steel Assemblers/ Riggers/Metal & Steel Workers/Tile Fixers Nurses Office Boys/Office Cleaners Opticians Painters Pharmacists Photographers (Cameramen) Plumbers/Fabricators/Furniture Carpenters/Fancy Wood Workers/ Pipe Fitters

200 180

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.

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120 120 100 300 150 90 120 120 to 150 75 90 100 100 250 75 65 90 to 120 90 20. 120 75 50 120 90 90 120 100 300 90 150 75 150 90 130 120 100

S. No. 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49

50

Category Minimum wages

No per Month (BD) Receptionists 180 Sales Representatives 200 Sandwich Makers/Bakers 90 Shop Assistants/Salesmen 90 Store Keepers 120 Tailors/Garment Workers 90 Teachers (Junior Grade) 150 Unskilled Labourers/Helpers 60 Waiters (Restaurants/Hotels) 75 Washermen (Laundry) 90 Watchmen/Security Guards 90 Welders/Electricians/Mechanics/Fitters/ Motor Technicians/AC 100 Mechanics/ Light Mechanic/Technicians of various categories and Experienced Grades without diploma Wiremen 90

Bahrain Embassy of India

The Consular Wing

Building 182, Road 2608, Area 326 Ghudaibiya, P.O. Box No. 26106, Adliya, Bahrain Ph : +973-712683,712649, 712785,713832 Fax : +973-715527

(Ground Floor of the Embassy building) Building No. 182, Road 2608, Area 326, Ghudaibiya, P.O. Box 26106, Adliya, Bahrain

Page No. 77 Manual Report Pre departure training

Enquiry General Enquiry +973 17712683 Second Secretary (Consular & Labour) +973 17714209 (Direct) Attache (Consular) +973 17712793 (Direct)

Important Contacts Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Embassy of India, Riyadh B-1, Diplomatic Quarter, P.B.No.94387, Riyadh-11693, SaudiArabia. Telephone : 00-966-1-4884144, 4884691, 4884692, 4834254, 4884697, 4881982 (24 hour Help Line) Fax : 00-966-1-4884750 (Chancery) 4804764 (Commercial) E-Mail : [email protected] (Ambassador’s Office) [email protected] (DCM’s Office); [email protected] (passport); [email protected] (Community Welfare); www.indianembassy.org.sa (website)

Page No. 78 Manual Report Pre departure training

Consulate General of India, Jeddah Bldg. of M/s Bughshan & Bros. Madinah Road, Near Al Mira Carpets P B No. 952 Jeddah 21421 Telephone : 00 966 2 6520104 / 112, 6517581 Fax : 00 966 2 6533964 Email : cg @cgijeddah.org (CG’s Office) [email protected] (Welfare Section) [email protected] (Passport Section)