Workers recruitment begins under new fee structure

Acting General Manager of Al-Durra Labor Recruitment Company Muhammad Fahd Al-Zoubi said the implementation of contracts for the recruitment of domestic workers has started based on the fees set by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, including air tickets, reports Al- Anba daily.

In a statement to the daily, Al-Zoubi confirmed this step was taken with the support and guidance of the company’s Board of Directors; indicating that the decision was carefully considered. He pointed out the ministry is a governmental body that makes decisions based on technical studies and bilateral agreements, and in coordination and consultation with other government agencies concerned with labor recruitment; thereby, setting fair fees.

He stressed that the first and last goal is to reduce the burden on the citizens in recruiting a domestic worker, especially when the fees reached shocking levels as some took advantage of the citizens’ domestic manpower needs, particularly before the holy month of Ramadan

He disclosed that Al-Durra Company modified the contracts according to the new fees set by the ministry, including the plane ticket.

He was surprised that some people resorted to comparing the latest fees with those in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries; as each market has its own economic nature, price balance, and work environment, and each country has its own decisions regulating this matter, which means the company adheres to everything issued by the official State authorities. He explained that the statement of a nongovernmental agency that the domestic labor recruitment cost is KD600 and that the fee announced by the ministry is KD750 is a confirmation of a profit — KD150 for each recruitment contract, which is a logical amount and sufficient profit for the recruitment office, and does not burden the citizens.

He added that demanding other fees or leaving such an area open would lead to seeking excessive profit and exhausting the citizens by exploiting their need for domestic workers, wondering what profit some recruitment office owners are aspiring for. He continued: “We, at Al-Durra Labor Company, believe that recruitment offices are supposed to work for the benefit of citizens and to serve our country by unifying the world against any unjustified price hike from abroad, cooperating with government agencies, and not creating crises for financial purposes, especially since the holy month of Ramadan is fast approaching.”