The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) has presented new regulatory updates of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia 2025, such as complete ban of employment fee of domestic workers, wage payment reforms, and increase in compliance requirement of employers.
In the Saudi domestic workers employment fees ban, the employers cannot charge recruiting, work permit or residency (iqama) fees on domestic workers. Any breach will attract fines worth up to SAR 20,000 and a three-year restriction on the employment of domestic workers. The MHRSD directive is designed to provide equal treatment and removes extravagant recruitment expenses that workers usually incur.
The ministry has also introduced electronic salary transfer as part of the new rules of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia 2025. As of October 2025, employers who have two or more domestic workers will only be required to pay wages via e-transfer which will be extended to all employers by January 2026. The action belongs to the Wage Protection Service (WPS) that ensures the clear monitoring of payments and elimination of salary conflicts.
In the case of minimum wages among the domestic workers in Saudi Arabia, the country has no national minimum at the moment. Nevertheless, the average salary is SAR 1,500- SAR 2500 relative to nature of tasks. Wages, hours of work and rest days should be clearly spelt out in the contracts.
The 2025 domestic worker reforms also reiterate that all the workers have the right to one day of rest per week, good accommodation and written contract in accordance with the new employment guide of the MHRSD.
These policy changes result in a major change towards regulation and openness of Saudi labour sector and domestic labour sector, with emphasis being made on bans of fees, wage protection, and equity employment criterion.
