Recruitment offices in the Kingdom are anticipating the return of Indonesian domestic laborers after spending Ramadan and Eid with their families. Owners of offices in the Eastern Province expect the picture to be clearer regarding the crisis over the reservation and recruitment cost of domestic help, with work officially starting by the middle of the current month. Fears of increases in recruitment costs remain, with brokers putting pressure on offices to increase their commission to $500 for each housemaid, while the fact that recruitment offices in adjacent Gulf countries are paying $600 makes them a more attractive choice for many brokers. Brokers' fees have risen tangibly, evident in the $50 increase in Ramadan, from $450 to $500, caused by the low number of Indonesian housemaids and the great demand for them in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong and other Arab countries, while they are looking to raise it to $600 within the next few days to match the Gulf countries which would bring the fee to more than SR9,000. This charge includes SR7,000 for recruitment, SR2,000 for the visa, plus flight tickets and other expenditures required by law in Indonesia. These factors have also prolonged the time it takes for maids to arrive. Many recruiters now put the wait at up to five or six months to avoid problems with clients. – Okaz __
