RIYADH – The Ministry of Labor has emphasized that it is implementing regulations against illegal brokers and middlemen in the recruitment of domestic workers. The ministry said it was keeping a watch on recruitment agents in countries with which the ministry had signed agreements for sending domestic workers to the Kingdom. The process takes place through a sophisticated electronic link-up system with the approved recruitment offices on the Musaned website. The recruitment offices are recognized by the labor exporting countries and are listed by Saudi embassies. The ministry disclosed that severe penalties would be imposed on violators and those who tamper with the recruitment process. The penalties include long-term imprisonment and heavy fines. The ministry confirmed that it carries out unannounced inspection visits to recruitment offices and companies in all cities and governorates of the Kingdom with the aim of ensuring regulations and bylaws are strictly followed. It is also aimed at determining the extent recruitment offices and companies are complying with Musaned controls and the charges they have announced on the website. The ministry has warned all its clients not to deal with unlicensed offices and general service offices for recruitment services. They should restrict dealing with licensed recruitment offices and companies approved by the Ministry of Labor and listed on the Musaned website. The ministry called on employers to report any violations or problems they encounter in the recruitment process to the ministry through several many channels available to them. The victim can file a complaint via the website http://musaned.gov.sa/ or by dialing 19911, or visiting the labor offices Kingdomwide. The complaint will be looked into and verified and the victims will be reimbursed the fees they had paid while the fraudulent recruitment offices will be taken to task, the ministry said.
