Recruitment offices blame fee hike on foreign brokers

Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Owners of recruitment offices have blamed foreign brokers for the increase in the charges of maid recruitment. They say agents in manpower exporting countries have raised the fee for electronic authorization from SR40 to SR500. “The electronic authorization should be made by the local recruitment office for its foreign counterpart to supply maids,” said a recruitment company official, adding that individual authorization would lead to foul play and increase in costs. “If the Ministry of Labor and Social Development finds any recruitment office providing authorization to individuals it would take punitive action against them,” he said, adding that the ministry would stop its services to such offices. Hussein Al-Harthi, owner of a recruitment office, said the ministry has stopped individual authorization for recruitment of laborers from manpower exporting countries. “There are some offices that circumvent the rules of authorization by charging SR500 for a single visa thus raising the cost of recruitment,” he said. “The ministry would ask offices that violate the law to reimburse the amount paid by the client to the foreign office in case the latter fails to supply the required maids and other laborers,” he told Al-Madina Arabic daily. Al-Harthi believed that electronic authorization of individuals has encouraged brokers to increase their charges. Ali Al-Amri, another owner of a recruitment office, said electronic authorization is allowed only for recruitment offices and companies. “But there are certain offices that provide electronic authorization to individuals charging SR400 to SR500 per visa. The actual charge for electronic authorization is SR40,” he explained. The ministry banned authorization by individuals to protect them from fraudulent recruitment offices abroad as there is no guarantee that the foreign company will not renege on the contract and supply the workers requested. “The ministry’s move will also help recruitment offices to control charges,” he added. “If the client lodges any complaint against the recruitment office the ministry would stop its services and force the latter to reimburse the amount paid by the client to the foreign office,” he added. The ministry has banned Saudi individuals from authorizing foreign recruitment offices and brokers to recruit house workers and wanted the recruitment offices to provide authorization attested by the chambers of commerce. The recruitment process is also linked with embassies of manpower exporting countries such as India, Philippines and Morocco. The move was aimed at stopping black market deals.