The government in the Saudi Arabia is planning to introduce an 'expat levy' from Next year 2017, which is expected to be hit the private international schools, run by Indians in the nation.

The Saudi finance minister announced that SR 1,200 annually should be paid by each of the dependents of an expatriate.

The passport department will collect the fee from next year, July 2017. In case of professionals and those working in companies, the fee will be met by their firms.

There are several private schools across the Saudi Kingdom. These schools mainly cater to the middle income group, those who are employed in the private sector. Most of them are functioning without well-qualified teachers. Some schools also employ homemakers as teachers in primary and KG sections. Now with the new tax, the fate of such schools is hanging in balance.

The schools will get a clear picture about the exodus of Malayali families to Kerala, omly after the annual examination, which is due in March.

The fee will be collected along with the fees for residence permit renewal.

The fee will be hiked to SR 200 (per month) for each member of expat family in 2018. The following year it will be increased to SR 300 per dependent per month.

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Nandini