# Saudi Arabia: 34,834 expats face action and 9,454 sent home in one week of iqama and labour checks

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/world/saudi-arabia-34834-expats-face-action-and-9454-sent-home-in-one-week-of-iqama)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 18 Oct 2026
Updated: 18 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 18 Oct 2026

> The Interior Ministry's weekly figures show 6,547 iqama violations and 24 people arrested for sheltering or transporting violators, who face up to 15 years in jail.

Saudi Arabia's security campaign found **13,822 violations** of residency, border and labour rules in the week from 8 to 14 October, and **34,834 expatriates** are going through legal procedures, the Saudi Interior Ministry said on Saturday, in figures carried by the Saudi Press Agency and [reported by ARY News](https://arynews.tv/saudi-arabia-reports-13800-violations-as-34834-expats-face-action).

For Pakistani families with someone working in the Kingdom, these weekly checks matter: an expired iqama or a job with the wrong sponsor can end in deportation.

## The week's figures

| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Residency (iqama) violations | 6,547 |
| Border security violations | 3,896 |
| Labour law violations | 3,379 |
| Caught trying to enter illegally | 2,021 |
| Arrested for employing, housing or transporting violators | 24 |
| Expats in legal procedures | 34,834 (32,433 men, 2,401 women) |
| Told to get travel documents from their embassy | 20,190 |
| Told to book departure | 6,509 |
| Deported | 9,454 |

The ministry did not break the figures down by nationality.

## The penalty for helping a violator

Anyone who helps a person enter illegally, transports them inside the Kingdom or gives them shelter or work faces **up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SAR 1 million**, about Rs 73.8 million at the [riyal rate](/data/sar-pkr) of Rs 73.84, and the house or vehicle used can be seized. Violations can be reported on 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province and on 999 or 996 elsewhere.

## What Pakistani workers should check

1. **Iqama validity:** make sure it is renewed before it expires.
2. **Work for your sponsor only:** working for another employer without a transfer counts as a labour violation.
3. **Hajj and Umrah visas are not work visas:** overstaying them is a residency violation.
4. **Lost or confiscated passport:** contact the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh or the Consulate in Jeddah for emergency travel documents.

Sending money home? Compare what your riyals buy with our [currency converter](/tools/finance/currency-converter).

## Frequently asked questions

**How many expats did Saudi Arabia deport this week?**

9,454 people were deported in the week from 8 to 14 October 2026, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.

## Sources

- Saudi Arabia reports 13,800 violations as 34,834 expats face action (17 Oct 2026) (ARY News, citing the Saudi Press Agency): https://arynews.tv/saudi-arabia-reports-13800-violations-as-34834-expats-face-action

How to cite: "Saudi Arabia: 34,834 expats face action and 9,454 sent home in one week of iqama and labour checks", Searchable, 18 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/world/saudi-arabia-34834-expats-face-action-and-9454-sent-home-in-one-week-of-iqama