Families urged not to hire housemaids illegally

Foreign female workers gather outside Saudi immigration department as they try to legalise their work situation, in this November 3, 2013 file photo, in Riyadh. (AFP)

AL-AHSA: Despite the repeated warnings of the Ministry of Labor against transferring a housemaid from one sponsor to a new employer, the black market for housemaids has again flourished with the imminent arrival of the holy month of Ramadan. Along with this has come a substantial increase in labour salaries per month, with some estimates reaching up to SR6,000.
Youssef Al-Jabr, Chairman of the Lawyers Committee of the Al-Ahsa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “This might amount to human trafficking, which is the third most significant crime in the Kingdom after drugs and arms trafficking. The practice relies on an element of threat or coercion to exploit an individual, and especially affects women and children.”
Al-Jabr said that the brokers are operating a black market and are making the services of runaway maids available to those in need of domestic help, which is a crime punishable by law, confirming that this practice must be stopped as it endangers community due to the presence of irregular labor that cannot be traced.
Al-Jabr urged Saudi families not to hire housemaids supplied by unscrupulous recruiters to help stop such illegal business. He also warned the public against falling prey to messages sent on social networks offering runaway housemaids.
Some owners of licensed labor recruiters have asked the Ministry of Labor to stop the illicit practice and to impose severe sanctions against the traders, brokers, employers, and all others involved in such violation of the law.
Regardless, Al-Ahsa families typically agree that there is a dire need for housemaids during Ramadan, despite the steep hike in their salaries during this month.
A Saudi housewife in Al-Ahsa said: “The demand for housemaids becomes urgent during Ramadan because of the numerous household chores, the guests and the social events; therefore, any family that does not have a maid is forced to hire one despite the unreasonably high salaries they charge for the month.”