Better working conditions attract Indian Women to Saudi workforce: says official

Saudi Arabia is increasingly becoming a favoured destination for Indian expatriates, particularly for Indian women seeking employment, mainly after the recent labour reforms and efforts to create more inclusive workplaces.

According to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Indians now represent the second-largest expatriate community in the country, with over 2.4 million Indian workers residing there as of 2024. This includes 1.64 million employed in the private sector and 785,000 in domestic work. Bangladesh leads in expatriate numbers, with 2.69 million workers in the kingdom.

A ministry spokesperson emphasized the important role that Indian workers, including women, play in the Saudi workforce, “Indian workers, including women, play a vital role in Saudi Arabia’s labour market, comprising a substantial portion of the expatriate workforce”.

The spokesperson added that recent reforms focus on providing “welcoming conditions” for women from various backgrounds, which has helped create a conducive work environment.

The spokesperson highlighted specific advancements aimed at supporting female employment, saying, “Comprehensive reforms, expanded workplace support and investments in skills development create welcoming conditions for women from diverse backgrounds”.

Infrastructure improvements, such as women-only transportation options and childcare support, further enhance Saudi Arabia's appeal to Indian women.

Despite instances of Indian workers being misled by recruiters in India, Saudi Arabia has taken steps to address these issues, the spokesperson noted.

“Saudi Arabia is dedicated to upholding international labour standards and has implemented substantial labour reforms to protect workers’ rights,” the ministry representative told PTI.

Bilateral agreements with India and other countries ensure worker protections through information exchange, joint investigations and capacity-building to counter forced labour.

The ministry spokesperson pointed out that recent initiatives have led to a drop in female unemployment rates. By the second quarter of 2024, female unemployment fell to 12.8 percent, down from 14.2 percent in the first quarter, marking a 1.4 percentage point reduction and a 3.1 percentage point decline compared to the same period in 2023.

Saudi Arabia has introduced platforms like Musaned and Qiwa to support workers and ensure fair treatment.

“The Musaned and Qiwa platforms allow workers to file complaints regarding wages, contract terms or mistreatment, ensuring that these concerns are addressed and where necessary, legal action is taken”, the spokesperson said.

Musaned, launched in 2014, provides a structured and transparent recruitment process and offers 14 services to assist workers of various nationalities in monitoring wage payments, filing complaints and accessing support services.

The Labour Reform Initiative, introduced in 2021, has strengthened contractual relationships between employers and expatriate workers, ensuring worker mobility and promoting greater rights protection through secure digital systems.

Other key policies include mandatory health insurance for private-sector employees, summer working hours and heat protection regulations.

According to the ministry representative, “These reforms focus on enhancing workers’ rights and ensuring that our policies and practices align with internationally established standards, through, for example, our strong partnership with the International Labour Organization”.