Hiring a domestic worker in Saudi? Here’s what you must know

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia has launched a new “CV Upload” service for domestic workers through the Musaned platform.

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According to a Saudi Gazette report, this service allows employers to utilize the platform when transferring a worker’s services to a new employer.

Advantages of the service

The ministry explained that the service is an innovative model aimed at facilitating the selection of domestic workers based on their résumés and enabling a smoother, more efficient transfer of services. The process is fully automated, improving employers’ access to workers already residing in the country.

Through Musaned, domestic workers can upload their CVs once their contracts with their current employers end. These CVs include information such as job titles and prior experience, allowing prospective employers to search for and select candidates based on relevant skills and job requirements. This initiative also aims to protect the rights of both workers and employers.

The service is part of the ministry’s broader effort to develop the recruitment sector in Saudi Arabia. It follows a series of initiatives designed to safeguard the rights of all parties in the contractual relationship, including the Wages Protection Program for domestic workers, mandatory insurance, and the Unified Contract Program, which clearly defines the rights and obligations of both parties.

Rights and protections for domestic workers

Under Saudi law, the following practices are strictly prohibited:

• Employing a domestic worker under the age of 21.

• Assigning a worker to tasks not specified in their contract or making them work for another employer.

• Discriminating against workers based on race, color, sex, religion, nationality, social or national origin, or disability.

• Engaging in any form of sexual harassment, verbal or physical.

• Subjecting workers to forced labor or any form of human trafficking.

• Causing physical harm to the worker.

• Violating the dignity of migrant workers.

Obligations of Recruitment Offices in Saudi Arabia

Recruitment companies and domestic worker recruitment offices must adhere to the following responsibilities, as outlined by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development:

• Inform workers of the nature of the job and their expected pay.

• Provide proof of the worker’s health, psychological, and professional fitness.

• Conduct medical examinations within 30 days prior to the worker’s entry into Saudi Arabia.

• Educate workers on Saudi customs, traditions, and public morals.

• Provide temporary housing and basic sustenance upon arrival until workers are handed over to employers.

• Offer proper housing and support in cases where workers refuse or are unable to work.

• Treat workers with dignity and avoid any form of violence.

• Inform workers about the appropriate authorities to contact in case of rights violations.

• Neither the office nor any third party may solicit or accept commissions or fees from domestic workers in exchange for securing employment.

• Conclude contracts with employers through mechanisms approved by the ministry. Contracts must include the employer’s specifications and conditions for the recruited worker.