Kinani and Abdulrahman Al-Misbahi JEDDAH — The Ministry of Labor and Social Development has announced that the recruitment of Indonesian domestic workers takes a maximum of one month after the issuance of the visa. This was announced after the ministry signed an agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration for hiring domestic workers from Indonesia, said a source. The agreement includes a total of nine articles. The first article states that Indonesian domestic workers will be granted their rights and told about their responsibilities as stated in the Indonesian Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration's regulations. Article two of the agreement states that the two parties must adhere to regulations and procedures included in their contracts. Both parties can take legal action in case of the violation of contract terms. All recruitment procedures must be done through licensed companies, agencies and offices. There should not be any extra charges permitted in the recruitment process. There should be a unified contract for domestic workers reviewed and agreed upon by experts from both countries. The contract should define work hours, the nature and place of work, the responsibilities of both the employer and the employee, salary, weekends, vacations and duration of contract. Domestic workers should be provided with insurance to protect them and the employer. The procedures to open a bank account should also be facilitated. Procedure for workers to be able to fly back to Indonesia when the contract is terminated or in case of an emergency and the issuance of an exit visa should be facilitated. The agreement also states that the Indonesian mission should have easy access to Indonesians in the Kingdom including those who are on a delegation. The Saudi government should also inform the Indonesian mission when an Indonesian is arrested, imprisoned or detained, said the source. Article four of the agreement states that Indonesian workers should be aged between 21 and 55, should not have previous criminal records, should be trained in the skills stated in the contract, should also be given orientation about Saudi culture, tradition and customs, should pass medical examination as set by the Saudi government. Contract must be written in a language that can be reviewed and checked by any party. Article six states that both sides of the recruitment process should form a technical committee to conduct regular meeting and discuss. The agreement lasts for three years and is automatically renewed if neither of the two countries expressed any amendments to the agreement.
