JEDDAH: Demand for housemaids is so high in the holy month that illegal domestics, working in violation of residence and labor laws, can easily draw a salary of SR3,000 during Ramadan.

Due to difficulties in the recruitment process, Saudis are left with no choice but to hire them.

According to manpower recruitment experts, Ramadan has seen a significant pay hike for Asian and African housemaids, compared to the rest of the year.

However, they say that the salary during the last 10 days of Ramadan was negotiable because most family members are busy in worshipping and these maids would be able to work to collect Zakat and other charities.

Ghalib Al Maqbool, chairman of the recruitment committee, said illegal maids’ salaries couldn’t be monitored and that those who hire them would have to face the consequences if caught.

Turki Al Harbi, director of one of the manpower agencies, said: “We were not expecting that the salary would increase beyond SR1,500 because these maids are actually illegal and violate residence and labor laws. But due to the complex system of bringing maids from abroad and the unavailability of these maids, their demand during this month has resulted in an increase in their salaries beyond SR3,000.”

The black market of these housemaids is most vibrant during Ramadan. Families that normally pay SR1,200 to SR1,500 are now dishing out SR2,500 to SR3,000 for domestics without documents.

With these illegal housemaids, there is always a risk of their sudden disappearance.

Saudi national Umar Al-Siairi said it has become extremely difficult to hire domestics these days because the agents themselves have increased maids' salaries.