Officers and privates of Saudi Arabia’s passport offices will be sent abroad to receive intensive English language courses and etiquette training. A spokesperson for the passport department told newspapers that “Some of our staff lack diplomacy in dealing with passengers and many of them cannot communicate in English.”
Lt. Col Talal Al-Malik said a group of 60 immigration officials will be sent to Australia, Canada, and other countries to study English for a year. The program started last year and should benefit hundreds of staff. Al-Malik said the program, which was established under the directives of the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Prince Niaf, aims to improve the staff’s English language skills and teach them how to deal with visitors.
