Saudi sets new maid hire rules

Saudi Arabia has announced new conditions for the recruitment of domestic workers including housemaids and drivers.

The Ministry of Labour said it had also agreed to issue replacement visas before current employees leave the country on exit-only visas, Arab News reported.

All applicants should have sufficient finances and be able to prove their need for servants, the ministry said. Applicants should have a second wife or extra children, or require help taking care of parents in order to apply for a second housemaid visa. A second driver visa now depends on the family head having a second wife, school-going children and unmarried working daughters.

According to the report by Arab News, rest houses wishing to obtain visas must be registered with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, occupy at least 1,000 square metres and be owned by the applicant. Residents qualifying as elderly, disabled or suffering from disease must provide medical reports with applications, the article added.

Applicants for a first visa should have a monthly salary of SR 3,500, SR 8,000 for a second visa, SR 12,000 for a third and SR 20,000 for a fourth, the ministry said. Applicants not working in the public or private sectors must produce bank balances, and those applying for more than four visas should get permission from the recruitment committee at the ministry of labour.

The probation period for house servants has been increased from three to six months.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Saudi Sets New Maid Rules
Posted by Mario Yusuf Germino, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Monday 29 October 2007 at 09:00 UAE time

With recent disturbing incidents of house maid abuses, the Labor Department should include putting the husband and wife who are hiring the housemaid/driver under psychological examinations to determine if they are fit to to have a complete stranger from an entirely different country and culture, who doesn't speak their language and who probably would have the first time to be away from their family, be in their custody as 'helper'.

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM