Saudi authorities have barred employers from advertising jobs for "maids" and "servants".The Saudi Ministry of Commerce said this week employers should advertise for "workers" instead, UAE-based The National reported. The new directive is part of a series of reforms to the controversial kafala sponsorship system that has long governed the lives of migrant workers in the kingdom.
The system requires foreign workers to be "sponsored" by their employers, and has been criticised by human rights groups for allowing employers to exploit workers and control their movements. Some 10 million foreign nationals work in Saudi Arabia.