Saudi Arabia, home to millions of migrant workers, heavily relies on foreign labor for domestic work, primarily women working as housemaids, nannies, and caregivers, which are a significant part of the country’s labor force. However, despite their essential role in the country’s households, migrant domestic workers, primarily from Southeast Asia and Africa, face widespread discrimination, exploitative working conditions, and legal barriers that strip them of fundamental rights.
The Saudi labor system, particularly the kafala system, places an extraordinary amount of power in the hands of employers, leaving domestic workers vulnerable to abuse. Many workers find themselves subjected to passport confiscation, preventing them from leaving abusive workplaces or even returning home. Furthermore, unlike other foreign residents in Saudi Arabia who may qualify for long-term residency, migrant domestic workers are completely barred from obtaining Saudi citizenship, no matter how long they have lived and worked in the country.
Despite Saudi laws prohibiting employers from holding workers’ passports, the practice remains common. Many migrant workers arrive in Saudi Arabia under the assumption that they will be able to retain their personal identification documents, yet they have their documents seized once they arrive in the country. Without identification or travel documents, these workers are left powerless, unable to escape exploitative conditions or seek legal protection, trapping them in their employer’s household.
The passport confiscation leads to severe consequences such as an increased vulnerability to abuse, limited access to justice, and restriction of movement. In some cases, passport confiscation leads to conditions of forced labor and modern slavery.
For example, Kenyan single mothers in Saudi Arabia face significant challenges as their children are denied birth certificates, thus they cannot obtain medical care, education, and exit visas. Hence, The mothers, many of whom fled abusive employers, find themselves trapped, unable to secure their children’s rights or return home. This situation highlights the broader issues of migrant workers’ rights and the legal hurdles faced by children born outside of marriage in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia does not grant citizenship to migrant domestic workers, no matter how long they have lived or worked in the country. Without citizenship, migrant workers remain subject to restrictive labor laws and cannot access key rights, such as social security, health care, or legal representation. Also, workers must constantly renew their visas, leaving them at the mercy of employers or facing the threat of deportation.
In 2021, Saudi Arabia introduced the Premium Residency Program, which allows certain skilled foreign workers to obtain long-term residency, yet this option is largely inaccessible to domestic workers due to high fees and strict eligibility requirements.
While Saudi authorities have made efforts to abolish some elements of the kafala system, enforcement remains weak and meaningful reforms are not implemented, leaving many domestic workers without passports nor citizenship. Domestic workers who report abuse often find themselves punished or deported instead of receiving justice.
ADHRB calls on Saudi authorities to apply strict enforcement of laws against passport confiscation and pathways to permanent residency or citizenship. Also, ADHRB urges the Kingdom to abolish discriminatory policies that deny domestic migrant workers basic human rights and take immediate action to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect.
