Domestic Workers Regulation

Key points

• No employing anyone under 21 (Article 6); probation up to 90 days, once per employer (Article 9).
• No more than 10 working hours a day, with a break of at least half an hour after five consecutive hours (Article 10), and a paid weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours (Article 11).
• After two years, on renewal: 30 days' leave and a return ticket (Article 12); sick leave up to 30 days, 15 at full and 15 at half pay (Article 13).
• End-of-service award: one month's wage for every four consecutive years, on the last wage (Article 22).

Common violations

• Keeping the worker's passport or documents, physical or verbal abuse, harassment or forced labour (Article 15).
• Charging the worker recruitment, residence, work-permit or transfer fees, which the employer must bear (Article 15).

Penalties

• Fine of up to SAR 20,000 and/or a recruitment ban of up to three years, or a permanent ban; doubled for repeat offences and multiplied by the number of workers (Article 29).
• Note: the file on the Ministry's website comes with approval decision 40676 but its pages are marked «draft», so its text is not reproduced here.

A plain-language summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm, focused on the violations and problems that come up most in daily life. It is not a substitute for the official text or for legal advice.