JEDDAH: The number of Bangladeshi nationals who have registered to be domestic workers in the Kingdom has been much lower than expected, according to Mohamed Sarwar Alam, labor counselor at the Bangladeshi mission.

“Only 5,000 women have registered at about 100 recruitment offices in different regions of Bangladesh,” he said, adding that registration does not mean that all will come to the Kingdom. Medical exams and other reasons may further reduce the numbers.

He said procedures and paperwork for about 500 maids have been completed and that the maids are expected to arrive in the Kingdom during Ramadan.

Explaining the reasons for the low numbers, he said: “The monthly salary of SR800 does not attract them to leave their country and families. Other countries pay higher salaries. In Hong Kong, a maid can expect a monthly salary of $250 to $300 (SR937 to SR1,125). The country also sends workers to Jordan and Thailand.”

Other reasons for hesitation in coming to the Kingdom involve the fear and concern that workers are not guaranteed their legal rights as stated in the employment contract.

“Bangladesh stopped sending workers to Saudi Arabia more than eight years ago, so getting started again might take a little time,” said Sarwar.

He also said that past experiences of maids working in Saudi Arabia were often negative and that some Saudi employers made excessive demands on the women.

Labor Ministry spokesman Tayseer Al-Mufrij said his ministry was working with the relevant bodies to overcome the obstacles hindering the arrival of domestic workers in the Kingdom.

Nigeriens coming

Meanwhile, the Labor Ministry has started accepting visa applications for domestic helps from Niger whose monthly salary has been fixed at SR750.

As per the agreement, $1,000 is to be paid to the recruitment office in Niger on the condition that the processing work must be made between the recruitment companies of both countries, a local publication quoted the Ministry as saying.

According to the latest rules, the maid must reach the Kingdom in 60 days, failing which a penalty of SR100 per day, which cannot cross SR3,000, will be imposed on the recruitment agency.

If no other domestic help is provided even after the deadline ends, the contract is considered void and the recruitment office must return the fee.