Philippine, Indonesian maids to return to Saudi

Saudi Arabia has agreed to re-admit domestic workers from the Philippines and Indonesia after reaching an agreement that ended a one-year ban because of a dispute on their rights, newspapers in the oil-rich Gulf Kingdom said.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil supplier, suspended visas for housemaids from those two countries early this year in response to curbs on their travel at home following a series of incidents involving the maids in the Kingdom.

Quoting government officials, newspapers said Philippine maids would be allowed to come to Saudi Arabia within a month while those from Indonesia would be given visas again within three months.

The decision followed a visit by a high-ranking Saudi labour delegation to the Philippines and Indonesia, during which a tentative agreement was signed.

Newspapers gave no details of the agreement apart from saying it involves the creation of an insurance firm to ensure the rights of the maids.

“An Indonesian government delegation is expected to come to Saudi Arabia in the next few days to sign a memorandum of understanding governing the work of housemaids from that country in the Kingdom,” Okaz daily said.

“Under the agreements with those two countries, Saudi Arabia agreed to create a government body to tackle any problem facing the foreign domestic workers.”

Newspapers earlier said the agreement with Manila set the monthly salary of a Philippine maid at a minimum SR1,500 ($400), inclusive of housing and food. The agreement left it for the employer and employee to specify the basic salary.

Riyadh suspended the hiring of housemaids from the Philippines and Indonesia after the two countries introduced stringent terms for their employment in the Kingdom, one of the world’s largest bases for Asian housemaids and the second for Philippine domestic workers after the UAE.

Employment offices across Saudi Arabia have said they were already negotiating with other countries to supply maids and offset a shortage resulting from the boycott of Philippine and Indonesian domestic workers.

More than 1.5 million housemaids from the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other Asian and African nations work in Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom has been under fire from local and foreign human rights groups over the death of some housemaids, who have been reportedly killed by their employers. Pressure mounted in late 2010 following news that an Indonesian housemaid was severely tortured by its female employer.

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