On Sunday, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed two agreements on worker recruitment and skills verification of the Pakistani workforce employed in KSA.
The agreements were signed during a visit of the Minister of Education and Professional Training, Shafqat Mahmood, to the Kingdom. The ceremony took place in Riyadh at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
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Minister Shafqat Mahmood and Dr. Ahmad Jabbar Al-Yamni from Takamol Holding, a subsidiary firm of the Saudi government, penned down the agreements. Senior officials from both countries witnessed the ceremony.
Recruitment Agreement
In the agreement on recruitment, the countries agreed on measures to ensure ease of deployment for the Pakistani workforce. The countries also agreed on a comprehensive framework to provide the exported workforce with necessary legal protection and safeguards for their due rights.
Moreover, the agreement would also aid in the resolution of contractual disputes and taking legal action against recruitment agencies and companies in case of any violations.
Skills Verification Agreement
In the second agreement on skills verification, the two countries agreed on formal mechanisms to award and verify certifications for the skilled Pakistani workforce.
A statement from the foreign office said that this cooperation would have a far-reaching impact. Through a joint certification and testing framework incorporating Takamol and National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) from both sides, it would enhance the employment opportunities for the skilled workforce, the statement added.
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The statement further said that Takamol and NAVTTC would establish a testing regime that would facilitate the technical workforce’s skills verification under the partnership.
The tests taken under this regime would assess the competency of candidates who desire to work in the Kingdom.
The statement also added that these steps would provide the country’s skilled workforce with internationally recognized training and certifications, increasing their employability.
Moreover, these cooperation agreements would also help assist the existing Pakistani workforce employed in the Kingdom.
According to the foreign office, these agreements make part of the prime minister’s vision to improve Pakistanis’ employability abroad.