RIYADH — The recruitment of housemaids from Morocco is relatively less costly, but the workers make inconceivable demands of their employers, Al-Watan newspaper reported quoting industry sources. A source said recruiting a Moroccan housemaid costs as little as SR10,000 and a recruitment office can deliver the worker in less than two months. "Moroccan housemaids can be hired for a monthly salary of between SR1,500 and SR2,500," said the source, adding that they however ask for a "luxurious" work environment, which many Saudi households are unable to afford. "Housemaids in Saudi households in general share their rooms with fellow maids but the Moroccan maids demand separate, newly-furnished rooms that ensure their privacy. They also demand television sets with satellite channels in their rooms, in addition to computers and Internet connection," said the source. The housemaids also want their employers to buy them smart phones and they are not willing to work more than eight hours a day, six days a week. "They want to be allowed to go out on their weekly day of rest," the source said. Work visas for Moroccan housemaids are not yet available through the Ministry of Labor's Musaned program but Saudis still recruit maids from the country after visiting the Interior Ministry's recruitment affairs offices. The Musaned website currently allows Saudis to recruit workers from the Philippines, Niger, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mauritania, Djibouti and Uganda, but not all of these countries allow recruitment of women to work as housemaids. "The ministry recently ran into some roadblocks with recruitment offices in Djibouti, which resulted in complications and delays in the hiring process. Some other countries refused to send women workers to Saudi Arabia, and Moroccan housemaids are the only viable option left for Saudi families," said the source. Recruitment costs in Morocco is one of the cheapest but the conditions put forth by the workers make them one of the costliest, the source added.
