Arab NEWS:
The Labor Ministry wants to put an end to the black market for maids by allowing new recruitment companies to bring in more maids from different countries to meet the requirements.
The ministry has informed 10 new recruitment companies that they would be given 700,000 visas for the recruitment of foreign workers, including housemaids.
The ministry’s assurance came following a meeting between its officials with representatives of new recruitment companies, where they said a considerable number of new visas would be allocated for maids.
However, the ministry urged the companies to speed up administrative and other arrangements to begin work as quickly as possible.
The move will help Saudis hire maids legally instead of approaching the black market. Salaries of maids skyrocketed recently as a result of the black market. The companies have agreed to supply maids at the rate of SR1,500 monthly and they have said that employers need not pay for visa, iqama and treatment. They have also agreed to pay them overtime for work on the weekly off-day.
