The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) released the guidelines on the approval of job orders for the position of residential support worker/cleaner for residential household bound for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia this December 5, 2024 at the PST Hall in Mandaluyong City.
In a press conference, DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac said that this is a result of the initial talks of the Department led by then Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople and Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development (MHRSD) Minister Ahmad bin Sulaiman AlRajhi, in opening various job categories especially those that will protect women OFWs.
Undersecretary for Foreign Employment and Welfare Services Felicitas Q. Bay explained that residential support workers and/or cleaners are different from domestic workers. In particular, residential support workers will be holding skilled visa and not domestic worker visa, while their employers will directly be the mega recruitment companies (MRCs).
“Primarily, the residential support workers will be responsible in the level of cleanliness in residential areas. Hindi mag-aalaga ng bata o employer,” Usec. Bay pointed out.
Additionally, the residential support workers will receive a monthly salary of 1,500 Riyals and additional 500 Riyals as food allowance with overtime pay if they work past the eight hours work hours based on Saudi law. Their MRC employer will be providing the residential support workers their accommodation and transportation to and from the workplace, and will also receive other benefits such as health insurance.
The guidelines state that an undertaking shall be submitted by the MRC/ FRA / PRA, including among others the following:
no placement fees to be collected to the residential support workers; their wages must automatically increase once DMW or KSA issues a new policy on minimum wages; their wages must be reviewed annually; and the cleaners will not in any way be made to work as domestic workers.
Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan of the Policy and International Cooperation Services, noted that under the new framework, issues such as labor complaints, welfare cases, and exit visa problem will be minimized if not solve totally.
“Inaasahan natin na hindi na ito magkakaroon ng ganung kalaking problema dahil sa isa na lang ang kakausapin at isa na lang ang employer unlike before ‘yung konsepto ng domestic worker ay iba’t ibang employer,” Caunan said.
Another safety provision is that MRC employers are required to designate a welfare desk officer that will be directly monitoring the condition of the OFW cleaners and must act if problems on employment is detected.
Secretary Cacdac gave assurance that the program for various employment will continue to be expanded through the efforts of technical working group of the DMW in collaboration with the KSA MHRSD. – via DMW
