Saudi Arabia approves pact to hire Indian domestics

Riyadh: The Saudi Arabia government has approved an agreement for recruitment of Indian domestic workers including maids, media reported.

The council of ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defence, Monday approved the Saudi Arabia’s agreement with Delhi, Arab News reported Tuesday.

"The agreement aims to protect the rights of domestic workers as well as their employers and regulate the contractual relationship between the two parties,” said Haj Minister and Acting Information Minister Bandar Hajjar.

The agreement also aims at organising the recruitment process and controlling the cost of recruitment in both countries.

"It stipulates that such domestic labour shall have no criminal records, be trained in specialised centres in household work and educated on the kingdom’s customs and traditions as well as the terms and conditions of the employment contract,” Hajjar said.