Filipino labour and employment secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has accredited at least 10 “mega” recruitment companies to recruit and deploy foreign workers to private and public sector companies, as well as individual employers, in accordance with Saudi labour laws.

Ms Baldoz, who visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday, said the list of the recruitment companies has already been transmitted by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

“The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the Ministry of Labour will normally issue to the 10 ‘mega’ recruitment companies group working visas in bulk. This will facilitate the recruitment process to the benefit of our overseas foreign workers (OFWs),” she said.

Ms Baldoz lauded this move of the government of Saudi Arabia as a step towards ensuring the welfare and protection of all migrant workers in the Kingdom.

“I am very gratified about this very positive development in the recruitment and deployment of workers to Saudi Arabia, which is a demonstration of its commitment and resolve to decent and productive work,” she said.

The recruitment companies include Saudi Manpower Services, International Recruitment, Manpower Services Company, Al Jazeerah Support Services, Sawaeed Employment, Mawarid, National Recruitment Company, Al Mutahidah Company, Al Mahara Oil Field and Recruitment Services and First National Company.

The recruiters will be responsible for completing the regulatory procedures required for obtaining the residence permits of foreign workers; assume and bear the responsibility for the worker the moment he or she arrives in the Kingdom; orient workers on Saudi rules and regulations and to train them; guarantee foreign workers’ entire financial benefits and rights until their return to their country of origin; guarantee workers’ access and contact to their families and deploying agencies;  guarantee the workers’ monthly salaries through the opening of bank accounts; deploy workers in accordance with their contracts duly attested by the Saudi Ministry of Labour to protect the rights of the workers, employers, and recruitment agencies; and provide workers with accommodation until they are fetched by their employers.