Hiring a Domestic Worker in Saudi Arabia: Legal Requirements
Hiring a domestic worker can be a time consuming and daunting task. There are many things to consider, from finding a suitable candidate to navigating legal and cultural requirements. In this ultimate guide to domestic worker hiring in Saudi Arabia, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make the process as smooth and successful as possible.
An overview of domestic workers
There are about 3 million domestic helpers of various nationalities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including 800,000 domestic workers, most of whom work for Saudi families who make up about a quarter of the number of Saudi families in the Kingdom. Domestic workers have become a great support for families as they take care of your family, children and/or elderly family members. This frees full-time workers from worrying about their families at work and enables parents to spend more quality time with their children after work. With the resumption of the deployment ban of Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia, the demand has once again increased for domestic workers to the kingdom.
Hiring a Domestic Worker in Saudi Arabia: Legal Requirements
Hiring a domestic worker is mainly done through recruitment agencies from the Musaned platform which was launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in an effort to protect the rights of all parties and to eliminate unlicensed brokers and offices. Musaned is an electronic platform that facilitates recruitment procedures and aims to raise the level of awareness of employers and domestic workers of all their rights and duties
A total of 17 nationalities are allowed to be recruited in the Musaned platform namely:
- Philippines
- Sri Lanka
- Vietnam
- Nigeria
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Mauritania
- Uganda
- Eritrea
- Madagascar
- Azerbaijan
- Uzbekistan
- Cambodia
- Burundi
- Mali
- Kenya.
Domestic workers from the Philippines remain as the top choice by most families in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. Recruitment costs for Filipinos ranges between 16,000 to 25,000 riyals but after launching the well known service “Maarofa”,where you can find a worker on your own, the price is set at 10,752.50 Saudi riyals (2,867 US dollars) including VAT. This is an excellent choice for families who want to hire a maid through referrals or by searching on their own and save on recruitment fees.
Know more about the “well known service” here
Before you begin your search for a domestic worker, it’s important to understand the legal conditions for hiring one in Saudi Arabia. The following are some key points to keep in mind:
- Domestic workers must have a valid work visa, known as a “household worker” visa, which can be obtained through the Ministry of Interior.
- Employers must sign a contract with their domestic worker, which outlines the terms of employment, including salary, working hours, and duties.
- Domestic workers are entitled to certain rights and protections, including a minimum wage depending on their country of origin, mandatory health insurance, entitlement to weekly rest day and not to be forced to work more than 8 hours in a day.
- Employers must provide suitable accommodation, food, and medical care for their domestic workers.
“Since there is no minimum salary for domestic workers because it varies according to the nationality of the imported domestic worker, some sending countries have set a minimum salary for their citizens who are brought to Saudi Arabia, such as the Philippines, which has set 1,500 riyals or 400 USD as a minimum”
Non-compliance with these regulations can result in penalties and fines.Therefore, it is essential for employers to know the legal requirements and abide by them. To know more about the legal requirements, we’ve prepared an onboarding guide to help you.
Employer Requirements
Not every person is eligible to hire a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia. To hire a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia, employers must comply with the regulations set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
First, if you are a male, you are required to be married to hire a domestic worker. Nationals and expats whose profession is not a laborer, farmer, watchman and driver, you are eligible to apply for one housemaid visa if you have a minimum SAR 10,000 salary per month. To get a secondary visa, your minimum monthly salary must be SAR 18,000 per month.
Domestic Worker Requirements
The Ministry of Labor does not set a minimum age or gender limitation for foreign domestic workers. However, their home countries have their own requirements for nationals who want to work abroad as a domestic helper. For instance, Filipinos must be 24 years old and above to be eligible and undergo TESDA’s Domestic Work NCII training and relevant seminars. For Sri Lankans, the minimum age requirement is 25 years old and they must complete the 21 days residential training and obtained National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3 certificate for Domestic Housekeeping Assistant
Different Ways to Hire a Domestic Worker in Saudi Arabia
Hiring a domestic helper is not as easy as it sounds. After all, you are hiring someone who will take care of your children and your household. With Musaned, hiring a housemaid is now more simplified, efficient and you can choose what type of recruitment is best for you.
Recruit using Maarofa Service
Maarofa or the “well known service” enables you to find a housemaid yourself and of your choice. This gives you autonomy and confidence to choose a candidate through referrals or online service platforms like HelperChoice and process their visa and contract using the Maarofa service.
With HelperChoice you are in control of the domestic helper screening and interview. Browse through the domestic worker profiles, make a selection of candidates that meet your requirements and schedule interviews to potential matches. Once you have interviewed all candidates and decided who is the right match for your family, ask for the domestic worker’s full name, address, contact number and copy of valid passport to process through Maarofa within 45 to 90 days. The candidate will be contacted by the agency in their home country and you’ll be able to monitor their progress online.
Know more about the “well known service” here
Recruitment Costs
Costs for hiring a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia can vary depending on the method of recruitment and the agency used. Common costs associated with hiring a domestic worker include:
- Musaned Agency fees
As of November 2022, Musaned’s updated costs for domestic help are as follows:
* SAR 17,288 – Philippines
* SAR 9,500 – Uganda
* SAR 10,870 – Kenya
* SAR 13,000 – Bangladesh
* SAR 10,000 – Thailand
This will typically cover expenses such as the maid’s visa, any necessary medical exams and trainings, travel costs, and the cost of obtaining an Iqama.
If you are hiring a Filipino worker through Maarofa, the standard agency processing fee is set at SAR10,075 as of November 2022. This does not include allowances for your maid’s travel costs to the agency or living expenses while processing their requirements. It is best to know your worker’s current location, communicate this and provide them necessary allowance the facilitate the process
As the employer, it is important to remain informed and aware of all aspects of the hiring process, especially with the Maarofa service to ensure the recruitment process is smooth and your maid arrives in the kingdom at the soonest possible time.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Domestic Worker
Here are some tips to help you find a suitable domestic worker
- Define your needs. To find the best match, you need to first identify your needs to properly assign tasks with your future domestic worker. Are you looking for someone to manage your household? A cook or someone to take care of the children? Knowing this will help you narrow down the skills you are looking for and characteristics that best suit your needs.
For instance, a maid needed for household chores may need to communicate in English or Arabic well to follow instructions, quick to learn and diligent. While a maid for childcare needs to be patient, loving with kids, has previous experience and has teaching background to be qualified.
- Explain the job requirements and expectations: During the interview, clearly communicate your expectations and requirements for the job, including duties, work hours, and compensation. This will help ensure that you find a candidate who is a good fit for your needs.
- Look for experience and qualifications: Consider candidates who have relevant experience and qualifications in the tasks you require, such as cleaning, cooking, or childcare.
- Use reputable agencies or online platforms: Consider using a reputable agency or online platform that specializes in domestic worker hiring. These services can provide access to a pool of qualified candidates that are ready to work to Saudi Arabia
Domestic Worker’s Rights to follow
- Right to an employment contract – a contract between you and your domestic worker is mandatory and must be honored at all times This will contain details of their monthly salary, their duties and responsibilities, duration of the probationary period, obligations and rights of both parties as well contract duration and extension clauses.
- Right to agreed upon work – domestic workers may refuse work not assigned in the contract and are not allowed to work for another family other than your immediate household.
- Right to payment of salary – employers are obliged to pay the agreed salary at the end of the Hijri month.
- Right to rest – a domestic worker is entitled to atleast nine hours of rest per day and get one day off per week.
- Right for leaves and medical care – all domestic workers are given 30 days of sick leave per year subject to an authorized medical report and must be given medical care provided by the employer. Also, after 2 years of completing a contract, domestic workers are entitled to get 1 month paid annual leave with airfare to and from their home country.
- Right to end of service benefits – 1 monthly salary benefit will be given after 4 consecutive years of service with an employer.
Training and Onboarding
Once you have selected a candidate to hire, it’s important to provide them with the proper training and onboarding to ensure that they are successful in their new role. Here are some tips to help with this process:
- Provide a detailed job description and orientation to ensure that your domestic worker understands their duties and responsibilities.
- Offer language classes, if needed, to help them improve their language skills.
- Provide ongoing support and feedback to help your domestic worker succeed in their role.
- Set house rules and discuss this with your domestic worker to avoid any miscommunication and to help both of you adjust better in this new setup of having an additional help to your household.
Managing and Retaining Your Domestic Worker
Once your domestic worker is on board, it’s important to manage and retain them to ensure that they are happy and productive in their role. Here are some tips to help with this:
- Set clear expectations and goals for the candidate, and provide regular feedback and performance evaluations.
- Provide opportunities for professional development, such as training or attending conferences.
- Ensure that the candidate’s living and working conditions are safe and comfortable.
- Show appreciation and recognition for their hard work and contributions.
Conclusion
Hiring a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia can be a complex process, but by following these steps and taking the time to find the right domestic worker will ensure success in your recruitment journey. Hiring a Filipino domestic worker might be an excellent choice for you and your family’s needs.
To ensure a smooth and hassle-free hiring process, we recommend that you use the “well-known service” and find domestic worker through online service platforms that specializes in connecting you with qualified candidates who have been thoroughly vetted and meet your specific requirements.
By following the ultimate guide to hiring domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, you can be confident in your ability to find the right person to help manage your household and make your daily life easier. With the right support and resources, you can enjoy the many benefits of having a reliable and trustworthy domestic worker in your home.
If you are ready to look for a candidate, we encourage you to register to our website and browse through our database of qualified domestic worker applicants.
We wish you the best in your hiring journey!
