The Human Resources and Social Development Ministry slashed the ceiling on recruitment fees for domestic helpersfrom several countries in a bid to ensure “fairness in recruitment costs,” it said in a statement earlier this week.

Here are the new ceilings on hiring fees:

  • Philippines: SAR 14.7k, down from SAR 15.9k;
  • Sri Lanka: SAR 13.8k, down from SAR 15k;
  • Bangladesh: SAR 11.75k, down from SAR 13k;
  • Kenya: SAR 9k, down from SAR 10.87k;
  • Uganda: SAR 8.3k, down from SAR 9.5k;
  • Ethiopia: SAR 5.9k, down from SAR 6.9k.

Not the first time we’re hearing of this: The ministry had previously ordered licensed recruitment firms and offices to determine a maximum price ceiling paid by families for domestic workers from several nationalities. The price ceiling for helpers from Sierra Leone and Burundi was set at SAR 7.5k and 10k for workers from Thailian, exclusive of VAT.

Tighter monitoring: The move comes under the ministry’s efforts to periodically review recruitment fees, stressing the necessity of adhering to the new price caps which will be monitored through the Musaned platform.

Tags: