RIYADH: In a significant move to protect workers’ rights, Saudi Arabia has banned employers from charging domestic workers any fees, including those for recruitment, work permits, service transfers, and changes of profession.
These provisions are detailed in the newly released Guide to the Rights and Obligations of Domestic Workers, published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
Employers found violating these rules face fines of up to SAR 20,000 and a three-year prohibition on hiring domestic workers. Repeat offenders will face even stricter penalties, according to the Saudi Gazette.
The Saudi outlet reported that employers were banned from “charging any fees from their domestic workers”, including those “related to recruitment, change of professions, transfer of services, residency permit (iqama) and work permits”.
According to the guidelines, professions/jobs permitted by law in the domestic worker sector include “domestic worker, private driver, educator, home nurse, home cook, home planning, home travel, home life, home manager, home guard, home farmer, home coffee-maker, personal assistant, and physical therapy specialist”.
Under the new rules, domestic workers are entitled to full wages, weekly rest days, daily breaks, and one month of paid leave every two years. They also have the right to retain their personal documents, such as passports and residency permits (iqama), without employer interference.
Employers are required to provide suitable accommodation, meals or a cash allowance, healthcare coverage, and ensure workers can freely communicate with their families.
The guide also lists recognised professions within the domestic sector, such as drivers, home nurses, cooks, tailors, butlers, and house managers. It allows for new categories to be added as needed.
According to the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, over 2.05 million Pakistani workers, including those in the domestic sector, were registered for employment in Saudi Arabia from 2020 to September this year.
The new regulations also stipulate that “domestic workers shall be disbursed with their wages according to the unified contract signed with the employer,” Saudi Gazette reported.
