Saudi Arabia Deports 12,635 Violators in One Week

Saudi authorities deported 12,635 illegal residents from the Kingdom in a single week during 2026, as part of joint security campaigns enforcing the Residency Law, the Labor Law, and the Border Security Law.

The campaigns, led by the Ministry of Interior with the participation of security agencies and other government bodies, resulted in the detention of thousands of violators across several categories. During the week in question, 7,438 people were detained for residency-related offences such as overstaying or illegal entry, 3,782 for border security violations including illegal crossing, and 3,562 for labor violations such as working for a non-sponsor or being absent from work.

Authorities also referred 18,986 violators to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 3,834 were referred to complete travel bookings ahead of deportation. The standard process involves detection and arrest, registration and legal procedures, coordination with diplomatic missions to confirm travel documents, and placement in holding facilities until departure is arranged.

Weekly campaigns throughout 2026 have followed a similar scale, with authorities typically arresting between roughly 11,000 and 15,000 violators and deporting between about 12,000 and 17,000 individuals each week.

For the resident and expatriate community, the figures are a reminder of the importance of keeping iqama and work status valid and working only for the registered sponsor. Maintaining correct residency and employment records helps individuals avoid detention, fines, and deportation under the Kingdom's enforcement framework.

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