Recruiting domestic workers from the Philippines has become a popular option for many families in Saudi Arabia. They are known for their strong work ethic, English proficiency, and cultural similarities. However, the process of recruitment can be complex, expensive and time consuming.
To address these challenges, the Saudi Arabian government established Maarofa (well-known) service, an online platform in Musaned that facilitates the hiring of domestic workers pre-selected by employers. Combined with HelperChoice, a leading online platform connecting employers with domestic helpers, Maarofa Service provides a fast and cost efficient solution for families residing in Saudi Arabia who are looking to hire domestic workers they know and chosen to bring from the Philippines,
Find the right helper match for your family!
The Cost Savings of Using Maarofa Service and HelperChoice
Maarofa service cost is fixed at 10,752.50 Saudi riyals (2,867 US dollars) including VAT (cost is updated on November 2022) which is more cost effective compared with the regular cost of recruiting domestic workers from the Philippines that is estimated between 18 thousand riyals and 25 thousand riyals.
The service partners with top licensed recruitment agencies in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, with plans to expand coverage to all parts of KSA in the near future. With Maarofa & HelperChoice, families can streamline their search for the right domestic worker and enjoy a hassle-free hiring process.
Here at HelperChoice, we strongly recommend that employers provide their chosen helpers the following things necessary to process their documents but are not included in the Maarofa service.
1. Flight or bus ticket fees – SAR 32 to SAR 197 (US$9 to US$53) depending on their place of origin to the PH agency’s office in Manila
2. Financial assistance – for 45 days food while processing is around SAR 263 (US$70).
Overall cost for processing a Filipino domestic worker through our service and Maarofa is at SAR 11,802 or US$3,145 which is a 40% savings from the traditional costs of hiring through Musaned!
What are the required documents?
Once you’ve selected a domestic worker, you need to secure the following documents to start the Maarofa service process.
- The name of the domestic worker
- A copy of the worker’s valid passport
- The worker’s contact number on his/her home country
How to Start the Maarofa service:
Step 1: Find a domestic worker through HelperChoice
Register at HelperChoice to post your job ad for FREE and search qualified applicant’s profiles. Subscribe to our premium service to contact and interview applicants directly to find your best match.
Once you’ve selected a domestic worker, you may contact our ethical partner recruitment office in Saudi Arabia who processes workers through Musaned’s Maarofa service by logging in to your HelperChoice profile and clicking on “Process Visa” in the Dashboard.
Our partner agency will guide you through the whole visa and contract processing.
Step 2: Pay the electronic visa fee.
Before submitting an application for an electronic visa, you must pay the visa fee via SADAD service, amounting to 2000 Saudi riyals. as shown in the picture below, by simply entering the application of the bank registered in Absher or by ATM > Payments > Government Payments > Recruitment > Employment Visa Home > Enter ID number > Number of visas
Step 3: Request to issue a domestic worker visa
Go to the Musaned portal to submit an application for issuing an electronic domestic worker visa through the Musaned platform after filling in the following information:
- Occupation type
- The nationality of the worker
- Arrival city
Step 4: Pay the electronic service fees
After submitting an application for issuing an electronic visa, you will pay the electronic service fee of 157.5 Saudi Riyals through the SADAD service:
Step 4: Contract
Congratulations, the visa has been issued!!
When you return to the main menu, choose MAAROFA from the Contracts icon can now choose a well-known contract, which enables him to benefit from a fixed recruitment price of 10,752.50 Saudi riyals (2,867 US dollars) including VAT within 45 days from the date of the worker obtaining the medical examination, with a maximum of 90 days guarantee period only.
You must read the general terms and conditions and agree to the following:
- The employer shall not transfer the sponsorship of the worker except after notifying the office.
- The employer is obligated to inform the office if the employer wishes to transfer the sponsorship of the worker
- The recruitment office is not obligated to bring the worker at the specified time in the event that the worker does not adhere to the procedures dates.
- It is not under the responsibility of the office that the worker appointed in the name of not having any violations or suspensions with the Ministry of Interior or the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- In the event that a final exit visa is issued to the worker, the employer must inform the recruitment office of this to complete the necessary procedures.
- The recruitment office is not obligated if the domestic worker decides to refrain from working during the finalization of the procedures in her country.
- Relinquishment of the office’s responsibility in the event that the worker deals with an unauthorized broker during the recruitment process.
- Relinquish the office’s responsibility for any transfers that take place between the employer and the domestic worker.
- The period for the arrival of the recruited worker is 45 days. In the event of a delay in the arrival of the worker, the facility is granted an additional 15-day period for one time, starting after the recruitment office completes the process of paying the entire recruitment dues.
- The recruitment cost is an amount of 8850 Saudi riyals, not including tax, paid to the recruitment office, in exchange for fees and the cost of recruitment, including the value of the travel ticket from the country from which the Filipino worker is recruited until her arrival to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
After selecting the issued visa, the employer must fill in the data of the domestic worker to be recruited, as shown in the image below:
- The name of the worker
- The employee’s contact number
- The city of the worker’s arrival
- Passport number
- The expiry date of the passport
- Attached copy of the passport
ومن ثم سيقدم مساند لصاحب العمل قائمة بالمكاتب المتعاملة بخدمة معروفة في مدينة وصول العاملة حيث يوجد عدد معين من المكاتب المرخصة والمقدمة لخدمة معروفه في ثلاث مدن رئيسية وهي: جدة الرياض والدمام.
Before paying the recruitment fees, which must be paid in full through the portal electronically, the business owner can download a form of the unified contract between him and the recruitment office chosen in the contracting process. He can also communicate with the office once the fees are paid through Mada, Visa or MasterCard.
Hiring a domestic worker from the Philippines can be a great solution for many families in Saudi Arabia. By combining the services of HelperChoice and Maarofa, you can enjoy a cost-effective, efficient, and transparent recruitment process that will help you find the right candidate quickly and easily. Start your candidate search today!