RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has banned employers from charging domestic workers any fees for recruitment, work permits or residency documents, introducing penalties of up to 20,000 Saudi riyals and a three-year ban on hiring for violations.
According to the Saudi Gazette, the new provisions were included in the “Guide to the Rights and Obligations of Domestic Workers,” issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
The guidelines aim to strengthen worker protections and ensure fair treatment for millions of foreign domestic workers employed across the kingdom.
The guide explicitly bans employers from collecting any fees related to recruitment, change of profession, transfer of services, or residency permits (iqama). It also empowers the ministry to impose fines and suspensions on violators, with repeated offenders facing permanent bans from hiring.
“The regulations guarantee a decent life and a stable work environment for domestic workers,” the ministry said.
Professions covered under the domestic worker category include household staff such as drivers, cooks, nurses, educators, and personal assistants, as well as home-based specialists like gardeners, guards, and physical therapy aides.
Under the new rules, domestic workers are entitled to receive wages on time as stipulated in their contracts, at least eight continuous hours of daily rest, and one full day off per week.
They will also be eligible for 30 days of annual leave after two years of continuous service, along with end-of-service benefits equal to one month’s salary after four years.
Employers are required to renew work and residency permits at their own expense and must not confiscate passports or other identification documents. Workers are also guaranteed the right to communicate with their families and to travel home every two years at the employer’s expense.
In addition to financial penalties, employers who violate the new regulations could face extended bans from hiring, while domestic workers who breach the rules, such as through misconduct or breach of contract, may be fined up to SR2,000 or permanently barred from employment in Saudi Arabia.
The guide also obliges workers to respect Islamic and social values, safeguard household property, and maintain confidentiality regarding their employers.
According to Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, more than 2.05 million Pakistani workers have been employed in Saudi Arabia since 2020, a significant number of whom work in domestic roles.
Saudi Arabia has long relied on migrant labour from countries including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Ethiopia. Rights groups have frequently criticised the kingdom’s kafala (sponsorship) system for enabling exploitation and abuse by giving employers excessive control over foreign workers.
The kingdom partially reformed the kafala system in 2021, allowing some categories of workers to leave their jobs or the country without their employer’s permission.
The new domestic worker guidelines are the latest step toward aligning Saudi labour laws with international standards and addressing longstanding concerns about worker welfare.
