In recent developments, Saudi Arabia has broadened its recruitment pool for female domestic workers, now offering opportunities from 33 different countries. This expansion aims to provide more options for employers seeking domestic assistance.
The recent additions to the list of recruitable countries include Ethiopia, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Gambia, among others.
Saudi Arabia has streamlined the process of hiring domestic workers through a government e-platform, with over 2 million contracts processed last year alone. The Ministry of Human Resources, in its efforts to regulate the labor market, established the Musaned domestic labor platform. This platform serves as a comprehensive resource for both employers and workers, offering information on rights, duties, visa issuance, recruitment requests, and contractual relations.
By mandating the contracting process through Musaned, the ministry ensures transparency and accountability. Additionally, services such as documenting contracts through an e-unified contract have been introduced to safeguard the rights of all parties involved.
This initiative has garnered trust from both domestic laborers and employers, with over 1,000 registered companies and offices as accredited recruitment facilities across the kingdom. Furthermore, transfer operations have become more flexible, simplifying associated procedures.
The ministry has also facilitated worker transfers between beneficiaries through Musaned, with the consent of the employee. This enhances mobility and flexibility within the domestic labor market.
Roles for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia span a wide range, including housekeepers, drivers, housemaids, cleaners, cooks, guards, farmers, live-in nurses, tutors, and nannies. With these developments, Saudi Arabia aims to meet the growing demand for domestic assistance while ensuring the rights and protection of all involved parties.
