Saudi Arabian domestic worker contracts must be insured, ministers say

There are more than 3.5 million foreign domestic workers in Saudi Arabia. (Shutterstock)

• Recruitment companies must pay insurance for first 2 years of contract
• Insurance is optionally paid by employer if they extend work visa

RIYADH: Recruitment companies must carry the cost of insuring the contracts of domestic workers they bring into the country for the first two years, the Saudi Council of Ministers has decreed.

After the initial two years, the insurance is optional for the employer upon renewing the residency of the worker, the ministers decided at a session on Tuesday headed by King Salman, SPA reported.

The insurance covers the rights of both the employer and the worker in the event they refuse to continue to work or do not complete the period of the contract, Saudi Gazette reported.