The recruitment of Filipino domestic workers was suspended in Saudi Arabia at the end of last year.
The Philippine Embassy was quoted at the time as saying the suspension was due to new regulations issued by the Philippine Department of Labor governing contractual relationships between Filipino domestic workers and their foreign employers.
Saudi labor authorities have recently sought to regulate the national labor market. To this end, the Musaned domestic work program was launched to help clients know their rights and duties and related services, including visa issuance, recruitment applications and the contractual relationship between employer and worker.
The Musaned said that visa applications for hiring domestic workers from the Philippines can now be made through the recipient’s account in the program provided the recruitment rules are met.
The program added that visa fees will not be refunded if used. In case of wish to obtain an alternative visa, the worker must be deported within 90 days from the date of arrival and the status of the worker in the “Absher” system is “final exit” without exceeding the maximum authorized visas.
Last August, Saudi and Filipino officials held talks on resuming employment for domestic workers in the kingdom, a popular destination for migrant workers.
