Saudi Gazette report

DAMMAM — Recruitment cost and conditions from Indonesia remain ambiguous for recruitment agencies and offices after an agreement that took place between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia last month. There is a possibility of labor to come back work in the country after more than six years of suspension. Recruitment experts of domestic workers in the Kingdom expressed their reservation on the conditions that will be imposed on the recruitment of Indonesian labor in particular, such as wages and recruitment prices in general.

"It is difficult to predict the charges of recruitment from Indonesia unless the process starts officially," Al-Madina cited Ibrahim Al-Saneh, head of the recruitment committee in the Eastern Chamber of Commerce, as saying. Al-Saneh reportedly pointed out that there were many agreements signed between the two countries, but there was nothing tangible about this matter.

He pointed out that Indonesia has stopped recruiting in many countries, not just the Kingdom. "There is currently no information on the charges of recruitment officially, and all the news we heard a few days ago from the Ministry of Labor relates to signing the recruitment MOU. There will be more details available soon. It's too early to talk about fees, but I know very well that the ministry is working hard to open any new channels that export labor to the Kingdom," he added.

In regard to social expectations in the Kingdom to allow recruitment of domestic workers from Indonesia, Al-Saneh said that the Kingdom needs to sign the largest number of agreements with countries that accept recruiting domestic labor. The demand in the Kingdom for labor is huge, and more markets are needed. According to the Ministry of Labor, the number of visas issued for domestic workers is nearly one million, and no country will provide this large number of workers, if there are no agreements with a group of countries to help provide the required number, adding: "The demand is very high, which makes prices inflate and make recruitment procedures more difficult in one way or another. Fees may start from 16,000 riyals, but the market is governed by supply and demand, and this is one of the basics of the economy."

Mohammed Al-Shammari, recruitment officer at one of Dammam's offices, said that he received a large number of calls to inquire about recruitment from Indonesia and talked to him about the feasibility and implementation of the agreement signed last Tuesday.

He added: "Until now we have not been told as companies and offices about anything, either from the ministry or even the offices of work."

As for the expected costs of recruitment, he said: "Frankly, I expect it to be between 18,000 and 20,000 riyals, and I know very well that this is a large amount, but these are market charegs, and it is difficult to reduce them."