Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Musaned domestic workers services platform reiterated that the transfer of salary of domestic workers, who are coming to Saudi Arabia for the first time, will be deposited in their digital wallet effective from July 1, 2024.

The Musaned platform, under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), emphasized that no one else except the employer can transfer the salary at the end of each Hijri year. The salary shall be deposited through getting access to the Domestic Workers’ Salaries icon within the approved digital wallets of new house workers.

The digital transfer of salary can be made after issuing residency permit (iqama) for the domestic worker and completing the documentation procedures. The Musaned platform noted that the employer’s wife or family members are not allowed to make the digital transfer of salaries on behalf of them. This is mainly because all the data of the workers are digitally linked with the employer.

The new service also enables the transfer of an advance salary; advance payment of a portion of salary; and deduction or increase in the salary to the digital wallet of the workers. The advantages of transferring wages through electronic channels include reducing cash transactions, improving the work environment for domestic workers, and facilitating the process of paying domestic workers’ salaries quickly, easily and reliably.

The platform pointed out that the wage that the employer must adhere to is the wage agreed upon by both parties in the labor contract, and it shall be paid at the end of each Hijri month unless the two parties agree - in writing - otherwise, while complying with the regulations and instructions issued regarding wage protection.

Regarding the possibility of transfer of salaries of domestic workers through banks when a bank account is available for domestic workers, the Musaned revealed that if the worker is within the category obligated to the Wage Protection Program, the transfer must be made through the approved channels, including banks. However, if the worker is not within the obligated category, the employer can pay wages in cash or check. However, this shall be documented in writing or through the domestic worker’s payroll card, unless the worker wishes to transfer it to a specific bank account.

The platform noted that the transfer via the Domestic Worker Salaries icon aims to ensure that the financial rights of domestic workers and employers are preserved, and thus enabling employers to transfer monthly salaries through payment channels linked to the Wage Protection Initiative and save their salaries on the Musaned platform.

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has established the Musaned platform as its official website for household services and home employment program, with spelling out the rights and duties of the worker and the employer. It is one of the initiatives to develop the recruitment sector in the Kingdom, as the platform provides multiple services to improve and facilitate the recruitment journey, and to resolve complaints and disputes that may occur between the contracting parties, in addition to protecting their rights. The ministry introduced in August last year the transfer of service of domestic workers between individual employers through the Musaned platform.