Private labor supply agencies are warned against advertising dubious claims of speedy recruitment of housemaids from abroad for an extra fee. The warning was issued by Abdul Wahid Al-Humaid, deputy minister of Labor, who told SPA that” labor supply countries are struggling to meet a huge foreign demand for housemaids and hence local recruitment agencies should not make promises they can't fulfill.” He said the ministry will act against any agency that does not honor its advertised commitment, including canceling its license. Demand for housemaids seasonally increases in Ramadan when household work increases as Saudi families and friends meet up during the holy month. In Taif, several citizens said recruitment agencies have failed to deliver the house help before Ramadan despite having collected an extra fee of SR1,300 from the speedy service advertised. The Labor ministry has limited the number of workers from any country to no more than 10 percent of the total foreign workforce in Saudi Arabia, and visas are issued accordingly. According to the deputy minister, the ministry aims to limit the total number of foreign workers in the country to no more than 20 percent of the Saudi population by 2010.
