Recruitment of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia resumes

Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al Rajhi. Meanwhile, the ministry’s domestic labour recruitment website Musaned is accepting applications for new contracts until October 31.

The labour ministry suspended the process of hiring domestic workers on March 16 following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the new ministerial directive, the recruitment period for new contracts is 120 days. If a licensed firm fails to recruit the domestic helper within 120 days, the contract is automatically extended for 30 more days, with the imposition of a fine amounting to 15 per cent of the contract value for the non-compliance of the contractual obligations.

Null and void

In the event of cancelling the contract or the domestic worker failed to arrive before the expiry of the extension period, which is set at 150 days, then the contract will be considered null and void and the licensed firm is obligated to return the contract value to the customer with a delayed penalty of 20 per cent of the contract value.

According to the new provisions, the cost of terminating the contract is five per cent for the person requesting the cancellation during the period from six to 30 days after concluding the contract while this cost would increase to 10 per cent during the period from 31 and 120 days and to 15 per cent during 121-150 days and the contract would automatically be cancelled after 151 days.

According to the minister’s decision, the competent agency would make the necessary arrangements to deal with contracts that could be suspended in the future as a result of restrictions on travel to and from some countries that are the global hotspots of the coronavirus pandemic.