RIYADH: The National Commission for Recruitment (NCR) said it would allow the recruitment of workers from Indonesia and the Philippines on a new consolidated contract beginning on Jan. 1.
The NCR, a subsidiary of the Riyadh-based Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry, postponed the date of the implementation of the new contract regulations because it had noticed some labor supply agents in Indonesia resorting to swindling and forgery of documents related to worker recruitment, Al-Eqtisadiah daily reported.
“Several Indonesian labor suppliers are attempting to cheat Saudi employers and labor importers with forged documents. However, the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta has helped the Saudis resolve such problems,” said a source at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
According to the new provisions, the workers should be of good health and should undergo training, and will get higher wages and more time off.
The NCR has set up a joint committee with the Indonesian Federation of Labor Exporters to look into disputes between Saudi recruiters and Indonesian labor suppliers.
“We hope that all the accredited labor-importing agents in the Kingdom would submit their recruitment documents to the NCR so that it can intervene when any disputes arise. The NCR would take up the matter with the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta to settle issues,” said the RCCI source.
According to a circular sent by the NCR to Saudi recruitment offices, recruiters should send the original copies of their agreements with the labor suppliers to the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta.
Saad Al-Baddah of the NCR said foreign domestic workers would be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia effective Jan. 1, 2009, but only after confirming the terms pertaining to their salaries.
After negotiations between the NCR and authorities in various labor-supplying countries, salaries for housemaids have been fixed at SR500 per month for Nepalese, SR650 for Sri Lankans, SR750 for Vietnamese, and SR800 for Indonesians and SR1,500 for Filipinos, the source said.
He said a reason for the delay in implementing the consolidated contract regulations was the refusal of some workers to come to Saudi Arabia on the old salary package though their visas were issued before the agreement for the new rates was signed.
Last month the NCR signed an agreement with the Ethiopian Federation of Manpower Recruitment to supply domestic workers for salaries up to SR1,000 with a guarantee that none of them would run away.
