Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed two agreements Sunday related to workers’ recruitment and skills verification programme of Pakistani workforce being employed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The signing ceremony of the agreements took place during the visit of Shafqat Mahmood, Federal Minister of Education, Professional Training and National Heritage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The agreement on workers’ recruitment will contribute toward further streamlining the process of export of workforce from Pakistan in diverse professions in the Kingdom, while safeguarding their due rights and providing comprehensive legal protection to Pakistani workers employed in Saudi Arabia.

The agreement will also help in resolving contractual disputes and taking legal recourse against recruitment offices, companies or agencies for any violation.

The Agreement on Skills Verification will enhance export of skilled and certified Pakistani workforce to the Kingdom. It may be recalled that imparting modern skills and ensuring certification of Pakistani workforce to improve their employability abroad, are key areas among the Prime Minister’s Priority Sectors. Certification for our skilled manpower will create opportunities for technical workforce in Pakistan to get internationally recognized trainings and certifications.

Signing of these agreements paves the way for building strategic partnerships and complementary relations between various Ministries and Departments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. In line with the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, quality service delivery to the expatriate community remains a key priority of the Ministry and Pakistan Missions Abroad.

This story was first published in Business Recorder on Dec 6, 2021.