Saudi Arabia Alters Kafala System Of Migrant Employment

Saudi Arabia has announced some strategic reforms to help the migrant population. Through these reforms, the Kingdom will be able to abolish some age- old customs that bound migrant workers to a single employer.

Known as the Kafala system, it has been considered a sheer exploitation of human rights, binding a migrant worker to low paid jobs, no access to proper rest or medical care, overtime and lack of proper nutrition or even weekly offs.

According to an official statement by the Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development, the reforms will allow foreign workers the freedom to change jobs by transferring their sponsorship from one employer to another. The new change will also give them access to leave and rights to re-enter the country or secure final exit visas without the consent of their employer. Earlier, the fact that the employer control the exit process of the worker, made them victims to abuse.

English | November 5, 2020

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