Saudi Arabia bans employers from charging domestic workers recruitment fees

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has issued new regulations prohibiting employers from charging domestic workers any fees, including those related to recruitment, work permits, transfers of service, or changes of profession, Okaz newspaper reported. 

Employers found violating the rules face fines of up to SR20,000 and a three-year ban on hiring domestic workers, with repeat offenders subject to harsher penalties.

The provisions are outlined in the newly released Guide to the Rights and Obligations of Domestic Workers, issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. 

The guide sets out a comprehensive framework governing the relationship between employers and domestic workers, ensuring fair treatment and decent working conditions.

Under the new regulations, workers must be paid in full according to the unified employment contract and are entitled to a weekly rest day, at least eight consecutive hours of daily rest, and one month of paid leave every two years. 

They are also guaranteed the right to retain personal documents, such as passports and residency permits, without employer interference.

Employers are required to provide proper housing, food or a cash allowance, and healthcare coverage, and to ensure workers can communicate with their families. 

The guide also lists recognized professions within the domestic sector, including drivers, home nurses, cooks, tailors, butlers, and house managers, and allows for new categories to be added as needed.