The Saudi Embassy in Ethiopia has issued a warning for citizens to be wary of bogus domestic worker recruitment companies operating in that country. Dr. Abdullah Al-Shareef, Saudi Consul in Addis Ababa, told Al-Watan Arabic daily that Saudis have to be careful about criminals operating in Ethiopia. He said all Saudis who arrive in Addis Ababa must go directly to the embassy to check the credentials of recruitment offices. The embassy seeks to serve citizens and protect them from fraud, he added. A total of 150,000 domestic worker visas have been issued over the past five years, he added. He said the embassy receives over 1,500 domestic worker applicants daily. The demand increased after the decision to stop recruiting workers from Indonesia and the Philippines. He added that the Ethiopian government has given the Kingdom permission to set up centers to train workers about Saudi laws and traditions. The first center will be opened next month. The embassy won't approve any visa unless the worker has obtained a training certificate, he pointed out. This will ensure that only qualified workers enter the Kingdom, he said. The embassy requires all domestic workers to be free of any criminal convictions.
