Saudi Arabia has changed the recruitment rules of foreign workers for unmarried citizens. Under the new rules, an unmarried citizen below 24 years of age cannot hire foreign workers for domestic work. Every year a large number of Indians go to Saudi Arabia to work.
Saudi Arabia, an important country for Indian workers and professionals, has made a big change for foreign domestic workers. According to the official website of the Saudi government, ‘Saudi Gazette’, the government has tried to tighten the visa rules issued for the recruitment of foreign domestic workers.
According to the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, under new rules, it has become a little more difficult for unmarried men or women of Saudi Arabia to recruit foreign workers for domestic work. Now any unmarried Saudi citizen can hire a foreign citizen for domestic work only after turning 24 years of age. Only after these conditions are fulfilled, the visa will be issued to that foreign worker.
This decision of Saudi Arabia also becomes important for India because every year a large number of Indians go to Saudi Arabia for work. According to the Indian Foreign Ministry, about 26 lakh Indians work in Saudi Arabia. Now foreign workers, including Indians, will not be able to work as house helpers in the homes of unmarried citizens below 24 years of age in Saudi Arabia.
Separate platform for issuing visas to workers
According to the report, Saudi Arabia has taken this decision to streamline and regulate the domestic labor market. The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources has also established the Musaned platform for clients (employers). Where, information will be given about their rights, duties and related work. Through this platform itself, arrangements have been made to issue visas to workers and to negotiate between workers.
Apart from this, the facility to transfer salary to workers through STC Pay and Urpay has been provided on the Musaned platform itself. There are also facilities like authentication of domestic labor contracts and resolution of disputes. That is, this platform provides an official platform for the recruitment of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
Its purpose is to bring transparency in the recruitment process as well as to resolve any kind of disputes between employers and workers and ensure the rights of both.
There are different categories of domestic workers. These include servants, drivers, sweepers, cooks, guards, farmers, tailors, live-in nurses and tutors. Every year a large number of Indians go to Saudi Arabia to work. About 26 lakh Indians work in Saudi Arabia.
