Latest news with #Musaned
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
What Is Saudi Arabia's wage protection plan and how does it help expats secure their pay
Saudi Arabia's new wage insurance and digital reforms aim to safeguard expatriate workers' rights and earnings amidst Vision 2030 labor market transformations/Representative Image TL;DR: Saudi 's Expatriate Worker Wage Insurance , effective October 6, 2024, covers up to SAR 17,500 in unpaid wages and includes a repatriation ticket if 80%+ of workers at a firm go unpaid for six months. It complements major digital labor reforms, such as the Musaned platform for domestic workers launched in October 2024, and sweeping 2025 labor-law enhancements around wage transparency and contract digitisation. Early feedback from Amnesty International and financial services experts praises the initiative as a labor-rights improvement but notes exclusions and administrative barriers remain significant. Saudi Arabia's groundbreaking wage-insurance program launched in late 2024 isn't an isolated initiative, it's part of a sweeping transformation of the private-sector employment landscape. With workers facing fewer delays in wage payments, a digital-first Musaned platform built to monitor domestic labor contracts, and 2025 labor-law changes mandating electronic payslips and enforcing stricter wage transparency, the kingdom is aligning its labor market with global best practices. But while these reforms mark progress, enforcement nuances and the scope of worker protections especially for non-regulated sectors remain under scrutiny. Wage Insurance as a Safety Net, Not a First Responder Implemented jointly by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) and the Insurance Authority, Saudi's insurance policy ensures private-sector expats receive up to 6 months' wages (capped at SAR 17,500, around $4,667) if 80% or more of a firm's workers are left unpaid for the same period. A repatriation flight ticket (up to SAR 1,000, around $267) is also included for employees who choose to leave the kingdom rather than transfer sponsors. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologists Confirm: 60-Year-Old Sheds Fat With 4 Ingredients The Healthy Way Learn More Undo Digital Oversight: Musaned Platform Rolls Out Just days after the insurance launch, the Musaned platform went live in mid‑October 2024 digitising domestic-worker contracts, embedding wage monitoring, and enabling embassies to track worker status via the app. It has since processed some 12,649 domestic-labour disputes, covering nationalities like India, Philippines, and Vietnam. Musaned now supports digital contract access, payment tracking, and dispute-resolution tools. 2025 Labor-Law Overhaul: Transparency at the Core May 2025 saw sweeping amendments to Saudi labor law that further reinforce wage protection mechanisms. Critical reforms include: Mandatory electronic payslips with wage breakdowns, deadlines, and deductions logged for five years. Wage payment grace period set at five business days; similar delay risks penalties. Dispute resolution streamlined online via pre-litigation mediation and enforceable rulings, minimising bureaucratic hurdles. How Reforms Fit Together These initiatives connect across a unified policy framework: Preventive measures : Musaned helps avoid unpaid work before it occurs. Transparent tracking : Digital payslips and real-time monitoring make breaches more visible and prosecutable. Reactive support : The wage-insurance system provides a final safety net when defaults actually happen. Together, these systems promise greater accountability among employers and faster financial recourse for workers. Praise Amid Caveats International observers commend Saudi's efforts, given the historical vulnerabilities of contract migrant labour. Amnesty International, however, warns that thresholds 80% firm default and six-month window may exclude isolated or short-term non-payment cases, leaving some workers unprotected. Law firms like Deloitte and Fragomen highlight the program's alignment with Vision 2030, but emphasise that documentation-heavy claims and high eligibility thresholds require further refinement. Expat Voices: Modular Improvements, Still a Safety Net Arab News interviewed Abdulrahman Al-Zaid, head of international HR at HRSD, who called the insurance part of a broader labor modernization push. An expat consultant from India described it as a "crucial financial relief" during salary delays, noting that return ticket coverage was 'particularly helpful'. Online forums echo this positive reception. Looking Ahead: Enforcement, Accessibility, Inclusion For the system to succeed, three areas need focus: Threshold adjustments : Lowering the 80% default requirement could protect lone or smaller groups of affected workers. Simplified claims : Reducing required documentation and wait times would improve access. Broader coverage : Expanding insurance to seasons, domestic workers, and contractors could complete the protection framework. Saudi Arabia's wage insurance is more than a wage-filing tool, it's a milestone in its multi-phase labor reform agenda, which includes the Musaned platform, electronic wage transparency, and digital dispute resolution. These new systems collectively signal a shift from reactive protection to proactive labor market oversight. Achieving real-world worker empowerment, however, will depend on refining thresholds, improving accessibility, and reinforcing legal recourse. Saudi now has the blueprint to elevate migrant-worker protections—and how it implements it next may define its success.
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi: Third phase of e-transfer of domestic workers' salary begins July 1
RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced that the third phase of the electronic salary transfer service for domestic workers through digital wallets came into force on Tuesday, July 1. The third phase applies to employers with three or more domestic workers. This follows the mandatory implementation of the second phase, which began on January 1 of this year for employers with more than four domestic workers. The ministry is implementing the mandatory system of e-transfer of salaries of domestic workers in a phased manner. The e-transfer of salary service will be applied to those with two or more workers starting October 1, 2025, and will include all domestic workers by January 1, 2026. This initiative aims to guarantee the rights of domestic workers regarding their salaries, support the ministry's efforts to develop the domestic workers sector, and enhance the rights of both employers and domestic workers. The ministry emphasized the importance of the electronic salary transfer service of domestic workers, as it represents a pivotal step toward enhancing transparency and reliability in the wage payment process, facilitating it through digital wallets and approved banks through the Musaned platform. This service contributes to preserving the rights of all parties to the contractual relationship. It is noteworthy that the service of paying domestic workers' salaries through the specified official channels includes a number of advantages for the employer and the worker, and enhances the proof of salaries for domestic workers, and facilitates the employer's completion of procedures related to the worker upon the end of the contractual relationship or upon his travel. It also guarantees the worker the receipt of salaries on a regular and fixed basis, and facilitates even transfer of the salary to his family in his country, directly through the same specified official channels with complete ease and security. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development introduced this salary transfer system through the Musaned platform, its official website for household services and home employment program. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Saudi Gazette
01-07-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
3rd phase of e-transfer of domestic workers' salary begins on Tuesday
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced that the third phase of the electronic salary transfer service for domestic workers through digital wallets came into force on Tuesday, July 1. The third phase applies to employers with three or more domestic workers. This follows the mandatory implementation of the second phase, which began on January 1 of this year for employers with more than four domestic workers. The ministry is implementing the mandatory system of e-transfer of salaries of domestic workers in a phased manner. The e-transfer of salary service will be applied to those with two or more workers starting October 1, 2025, and will include all domestic workers by January 1, 2026. This initiative aims to guarantee the rights of domestic workers regarding their salaries, support the ministry's efforts to develop the domestic workers sector, and enhance the rights of both employers and domestic workers. The ministry emphasized the importance of the electronic salary transfer service of domestic workers, as it represents a pivotal step toward enhancing transparency and reliability in the wage payment process, facilitating it through digital wallets and approved banks through the Musaned platform. This service contributes to preserving the rights of all parties to the contractual relationship. It is noteworthy that the service of paying domestic workers' salaries through the specified official channels includes a number of advantages for the employer and the worker, and enhances the proof of salaries for domestic workers, and facilitates the employer's completion of procedures related to the worker upon the end of the contractual relationship or upon his travel. It also guarantees the worker the receipt of salaries on a regular and fixed basis, and facilitates even transfer of the salary to his family in his country, directly through the same specified official channels with complete ease and security. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development introduced this salary transfer system through the Musaned platform, its official website for household services and home employment program.
Gulf Business
27-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Hiring a domestic worker in Saudi? Here's what you must know
Image credit: Getty Images The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia has launched a new 'CV Upload' service for domestic workers through the Musaned platform. Read- According to Advantages of the service The ministry explained that the service is an innovative model aimed at facilitating the selection of domestic workers based on their résumés and enabling a smoother, more efficient transfer of services. The process is fully automated, improving employers' access to workers already residing in the country. Through Musaned, domestic workers can upload their CVs once their contracts with their current employers end. These CVs include information such as job titles and prior experience, allowing prospective employers to search for and select candidates based on relevant skills and job requirements. This initiative also aims to protect the rights of both workers and employers. The service is part of the ministry's broader effort to develop the recruitment sector in Saudi Arabia. It follows a series of initiatives designed to safeguard the rights of all parties in the contractual relationship, including the Wages Protection Program for domestic workers, mandatory insurance, and the Unified Contract Program, which clearly defines the rights and obligations of both parties. Rights and protections for domestic workers Under Employing a domestic worker under the age of 21. Assigning a worker to tasks not specified in their contract or making them work for another employer. Discriminating against workers based on race, color, sex, religion, nationality, social or national origin, or disability. Engaging in any form of sexual harassment, verbal or physical. Subjecting workers to forced labor or any form of human trafficking. Causing physical harm to the worker. Violating the dignity of migrant workers. Obligations of Recruitment Offices in Saudi Arabia Recruitment companies and domestic worker recruitment offices must adhere to the following responsibilities, as outlined by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development: Inform workers of the nature of the job and their expected pay. Provide proof of the worker's health, psychological, and professional fitness. Conduct medical examinations within 30 days prior to the worker's entry into Saudi Arabia. Educate workers on Saudi customs, traditions, and public morals. Provide temporary housing and basic sustenance upon arrival until workers are handed over to employers. Offer proper housing and support in cases where workers refuse or are unable to work. Treat workers with dignity and avoid any form of violence. Inform workers about the appropriate authorities to contact in case of rights violations. Neither the office nor any third party may solicit or accept commissions or fees from domestic workers in exchange for securing employment. Conclude contracts with employers through mechanisms approved by the ministry. Contracts must include the employer's specifications and conditions for the recruited worker.
Gulf Insider
26-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia: HR Ministry Launches ‘CV Upload' Service For Domestic Workers On Musaned
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has launched the 'CV Upload' service for domestic workers through the Musaned platform, allowing employers to use it when transferring service of a worker to another employer. The ministry noted that this service is an innovative model designed to facilitate the selection of workers based on their résumé and to enable the smooth and streamlined transfer of services. The process is fully automated, enhancing employers' access to domestic workers already residing in the Kingdom. Through Musaned, domestic workers can upload their CVs once their contract with their current employer ends. The uploaded CVs include details such as job titles and acquired experience, allowing prospective employers to search and select candidates based on skills and job requirements. This measure also helps protect the rights of both workers and employers. This service aligns with the ministry's broader efforts to develop the recruitment sector in the Kingdom. Previously, the ministry launched several initiatives to safeguard the rights of both parties in the contractual relationship, including the Wages Protection Program for domestic workers, mandatory insurance, and the Unified Contract Program, which is binding on both parties and clearly outlines their rights and obligations.
