Only Indian maids aged 25 to 50 for Saudi Arabia

India will soon start sending housemaids to Saudi Arabia under an agreement signed between the two economic partners recently and officials said the domestic workers must be aged between 25 and 50 years.

India had first stipulated the maids must be at least 40 years old before the two countries reached a compromise setting that age in line with an agreement that will guarantee protection for the domestic workers from the subcontinent.

“Our agreement with India sets the age of the domestic workers coming to the Kingdom at between 25 and 50 years. If an Indian maid aged 25 agrees to come to Saudi Arabia, the Indian government will not prevent her,” said Ahmed Al Faheed, Saudi labour ministry undersecretary for international affairs.

He said Indian maids would be subject to a crash course in each of the Subcontinent’s states before they are sent to Saudi Arabia.

“Training will be provided by labour agencies in India, but Saudi labour agencies are planning to set up offices there to supervise procedures for the recruitment of maids in Saudi Arabia, including visa, travel, training and other issues.”

Quoted by Saudi newspapers, Fuhaid said the agreement signed with India stipulated that domestic workers coming to work in the Kingdom must have a “good conduct and police clearance” certificate, undergo medical examination and attend training courses to learn about social habits and traditions in Saudi Arabia.

“The agreement also stipulated that the job contract should guarantee the rights of both the maids and their employers.

"It will also ensure that the maids should be given adequate housing and should not be manipulated by their employers. At the same time, the agreement includes stringent penalties for recruitment offices which violate the rules and try to cheat the domestic workers.”

More than 1.5 million housemaids from the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other Asian and African nations work in Saudi Arabia, the largest Arab economy and the world’s dominant oil exporter.

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.

Saudi Arabia and India maintain strong political, economic and trade links, with their bilateral commercial exchange reaching nearly $44 billion during 2012-2013.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.