Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed agreements on worker recruitment and skills.

ISLAMABAD: According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Sunday, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed two agreements related to worker recruitment and skill verification of Pakistani workers employed in the kingdom.

The agreements were signed during the visit of Minister of Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood to Saudi Arabia, according to the statement.

According to the FO, the agreement on worker recruitment would help to streamline the process of exporting labour from Pakistan to the kingdom in a variety of professions while protecting their due rights and offering complete legal protection to Pakistani citizens working in Saudi Arabia. The agreement will also aid in the resolution of contractual issues and the pursuit of legal action against recruiting offices, organisations, or agencies in the event of a breach.

The agreement on talent verification will increase the export of skilled and certified Pakistani labourers to the kingdom.
According to the FO statement, among Prime Minister Imran Khan’s priority sectors are imparting new skills and assuring certification of Pakistani labour to boost their employability overseas. “Certification for our skilled personnel will provide chances for Pakistan’s technical workforce to get internationally recognised trainings and certifications,” it added.

According to a news statement from the education ministry, the agreements were signed during a ceremony at the Kingdom’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development by Shafqat Mahmood and Dr Ahmad Jabbar Al Yamni. Senior officials from both nations were present.

“Through joint certification and testing by Takamol Saudi Arabia and the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, this vital partnership between both nations has far-reaching implications for improving job prospects for qualified Pakistani workers.”