Domestic Worker Rights in Saudi Arabia
Reviewed by the Commoner Law Editorial Team. Sourced from Saudi royal decrees, regulations, and ministerial decisions. Written in plain language for general understanding — this is educational content, not legal advice. Our editorial standards
What is this right?
Saudi domestic workers are governed by the Saudi Domestic Workers Regulations — a separate legal instrument from the main Labour Law (Royal Decree No. M/51). Domestic workers therefore do not have automatic access to the private-sector limits on working hours, overtime pay, or the standard labour-dispute route. This is a documented protection gap, partially addressed by the 2025 kafala reform and the Musaned Wage Protection Service rollout.
Who is covered — 14 domestic worker categories: housemaids, drivers, cooks, nannies, gardeners, home nurses, security guards, agricultural workers, and several related household roles.
Core protections:
- Minimum age: 21 years. Workers below 21 cannot legally be employed as domestic workers.
- Working hours: not capped in the same way as the private sector — no explicit 8-hour day / 48-hour week standard. This is a key protection gap.
- Wages: paid monthly in SAR; the salary is paid at the end of each Hijri month under Musaned rules.
- Deductions are permitted only for (a) property damage caused by the worker's negligence, (b) court-ordered fines, or (c) loan repayment — and are capped at 25% of total wage.
- Employer obligations: adequate accommodation, food, healthcare, transportation; cover visa and travel costs; may not charge recruitment fees to the worker; must provide orientation before employment.
- Passport confiscation is prohibited.
Wage Protection Service via Musaned — phased rollout to universal coverage on 1 January 2026:
- Phase 1 (1 July 2024): new contracts for newly arriving workers.
- Phase 2 (January 2025): employers with 4 or more domestic workers.
- Phase 3 (July 2025): employers with 3 or more.
- Phase 4 (1 October 2025): employers with 2 or more.
- Phase 5 (1 January 2026): all domestic-worker employers.
All domestic-worker employers must pay salaries electronically through Musaned, using approved digital wallets and participating banks. Cash-only pay is no longer lawful under the rollout schedule.
Employment transfer under the 2025 kafala abolition: domestic workers can now transfer employment via Musaned. The government monitors departure and transfer requests to prevent abuse on either side.
Penalties:
- Employers: fine up to SAR 20,000 and/or a recruitment ban of up to 3 years; permanent bans are possible. Fines are multiplied by the number of workers affected.
- Workers who violate their own obligations: fine up to SAR 2,000 and/or a work ban in Saudi Arabia.
Reporting channels: the MoHRSD domestic worker helpline is 19911; the Musaned portal is musaned.com.sa.
Worked example — Priya, Filipino domestic worker in Jeddah: 2 months of unpaid wages at SAR 1,800/month, and her passport has been confiscated. From 1 January 2026, Musaned WPS creates an electronic record of the non-payment. Her steps: (1) call 19911; (2) contact POLO at the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh; (3) file a complaint through the domestic worker grievance portal on Musaned. The employer faces up to SAR 20,000 in fines plus a hiring ban, and Priya can transfer to a new household via Musaned without the current sponsor's consent.
When does it apply?
- You work in a Saudi private household in any of the 14 recognised domestic-worker categories.
- You are at least 21 years old (the legal minimum for domestic work).
- Your wages are unpaid, reduced, or paid in cash rather than via Musaned.
- Your employer has confiscated your passport, charged you recruitment fees, or failed to provide adequate accommodation, food, or healthcare.
- You want to transfer to a new household using Musaned.
What to Do If You Are a Domestic Worker in Saudi Arabia and Your Wages or Passport Have Been Withheld
- Call 19911 (MoHRSD domestic worker helpline) — they take complaints in multiple languages.
- Log in to Musaned (musaned.com.sa) and pull your payment record. Under the 2026 universal mandate, every paid month should appear electronically.
- Contact your embassy labour section or POLO (for Filipino workers) — they coordinate with MoHRSD and provide shelter and legal support.
- If your passport has been taken, report it — confiscation is prohibited and is itself grounds for fine and recruitment ban.
- For deduction disputes, confirm nothing above 25% of wage has been withheld and that deductions fall within the three permitted categories.
- To change employers, use Musaned transfer — the 2025 kafala abolition extends to domestic work, and government monitoring protects the transfer.
- Keep written proof — photos of wage slips, WhatsApp messages, and contract copies — before you leave the household.
What should you NOT do?
- Do not pay recruitment fees to your employer — they are prohibited, and doing so weakens your later complaint.
- Do not surrender your passport — confiscation is illegal regardless of any contractual clause.
- Do not accept cash-only pay once your employer falls inside the Musaned WPS phase — cash outside Musaned is a violation that will expose the employer, not you.
- Do not run away without first filing a complaint. Leaving the household without using the Musaned or 19911 channel can risk absconding classification; the helpline opens a record that protects you.
- Do not sign a blank or Arabic-only document you cannot read — request a translation and keep a copy.
Common Questions
When does it apply — domestic worker rights?
You work in a Saudi private household in any of the 14 recognised domestic-worker categories.You are at least 21 years old (the legal minimum for domestic work).Your wages are unpaid, reduced, or paid in cash rather than via Musaned.Your employer has confiscated your passport, charged you recruitment fees, or failed to provide adequate accommodation, food, or healthcare.You want to transfer to a new household using Musaned.
What should I do as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia if my employer confiscates my passport or stops paying my wages?
Call 19911 (MoHRSD domestic worker helpline) — they take complaints in multiple languages.Log in to Musaned (musaned.com.sa) and pull your payment record. Under the 2026 universal mandate, every paid month should appear electronically.Contact your embassy labour section or POLO (for Filipino workers) — they coordinate with MoHRSD and provide shelter and legal support.If your passport has been taken, report it — confiscation is prohibited and is itself grounds for fine and recruitment ban.For deduction disputes, confirm nothing above 25% of wage has been withheld and that deductions fall within...
What should you NOT do — domestic worker rights?
Do not pay recruitment fees to your employer — they are prohibited, and doing so weakens your later complaint.Do not surrender your passport — confiscation is illegal regardless of any contractual clause.Do not accept cash-only pay once your employer falls inside the Musaned WPS phase — cash outside Musaned is a violation that will expose the employer, not you.Do not run away without first filing a complaint. Leaving the household without using the Musaned or 19911 channel can risk absconding classification; the helpline opens a record that protects you.Do not sign a blank or Arabic-only docum...