No plan to deport expats above 40, says ministry

Jeddah : An official source from the Ministry of Labor and Social Development has denied rumors circulating on social media and online news sites that expatriates over 40 years of age would be deported.

The source said that it was a false news story and that such rumors harmed expatriates in Saudi Arabia.

He said that the ministry issues rules and directives through official websites.

Professor of criminal psychology and head of academic studies at King Fahd Security College Dr. Nasser Ali Arifi said that the main motive behind spreading rumors is to destabilize the economy, spread chaos and harm the relationship between citizens and expatriates.

“Enemies of the country tend to create false rumors and others spread these without cross-checking the veracity of such news. Spreading rumors with the intention to harm society is punishable by law not only in the Kingdom but all around the world,” Arifi said.

He also said that any citizen or expatriate can obtain information directly from official news sources or from the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).