The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has introduced a draft regulation aimed at deterring misuse of support programs offered by the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF). Violators of this regulation will face potential criminalization under Saudi Arabia's financial fraud laws.

Violation Consequences: The draft regulation outlines punitive measures for violations of HADAF support program terms. These include temporary suspension of Fund services, refunding of support amounts, deprivation of support, and termination of support agreements.

Framework for Handling Violations: The regulation establishes a framework for addressing violations, including procedures for proving violations, objecting to Fund decisions, and recovering disbursed support amounts.

Supporting National Workforce: The draft aims to bolster Saudi Arabia's national workforce by encouraging private sector employment, subsidizing workforce qualification, and training for private sector jobs.

Monitoring and Verification: HADAF representatives can conduct periodic and non-periodic field visits to firms' premises. They can demand bank documents, examine contracts, and validate data related to the support.

Report-Based Detection: Violations can be identified through detailed incident reports, including location, date, time of detection, and violator details. All supporting documents are crucial.

Criminalized Acts: The regulation identifies acts that will be subject to criminalization. These include fraudulently obtaining support, impersonation, and hacking HADAF's electronic systems.

Penalties and Recovery: The regulation follows the Anti-Cyber Crime Law. If incorrect information is provided about Fund support, violators must refund amounts within 30 working days. Failure to pay leads to warnings and service suspension.

Objection Procedure: Subsidized entities can raise objections within 30 days of being notified of a decision. A committee reviews objections and makes decisions based on substantial evidence.

Credit Information and Recovery: HADAF can access beneficiaries' credit information and share it with relevant authorities. The Fund can recover disbursed support amounts in case of contractual violations.

Timely Responses: Prompt responses to HADAF's correspondence, whether paper or electronic, are mandatory. Delayed responses could result in support recovery actions.

The introduction of this draft regulation showcases Saudi Arabia's commitment to fair and effective utilization of support programs. Violators will now face stringent punitive measures, ensuring the proper allocation of resources and opportunities for the nation's workforce.