Public sentiment regarding the abolition of the Kafala system is largely skeptical and divided. While some view the reform as a significant positive development for labor rights, many others express deep concerns about the real-world implementation and effectiveness, suggesting that existing issues for migrant workers may persist despite the announced changes. There is notable mistrust about the accuracy of the reports, with many calling for official confirmation.

Saudi Government

Migrant Workers

International Human Rights Organizations

Exit reentry and final exit is still with the employer approval

Old_Soup_3414

It’s ALL just words for clout until now. Your sponsor holds all authority regarding your every decision and move in and outside the country. Laws are a tiny bit moved in favor of the employee compared to 10 years ago, but still not actually changed.

blahbluhblee1

Are you referring to the Premium residence visa which is out of reach for most of us? If it’s just an ordinary visa, not much has changed. If your contract ends today and your sponsor wont renew it, you only have 60 days to find a new sponsor. After that, hello Modi. You are back in India.

Major-Effect6448

Hello, I have read the article but it’s not really clear about the no exit re-entry visa. When they say removing the “traditional” kafala system, do they mean they’re just modifying it? It seems like a euphemism only. 

As with my experience, some employers now are just becoming more lenient to releasing their employees when they want to transfer companies thru Qiwa platform. Almost everything now is monitored by MHRSD. With regard to the exit re-entry visa, I just went to the Philippines last May 2025 and I had it requested. 

So I guess we still have to wait for more info and confirmation about these news. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Dangerous_Lynx_115

Disastrous-Fly136

Well well.... 2034 Fifa World Cup will be hosted by SA. They need to abolish the Kafala system before that to show the world they no longer follow 'Modern Day Slavery' (Atleast by 2030).

Qatar had the same Kafala system, and way before the last Fifa world cup, they abolished this system and spent millions of dollars, entering the good books. Saudi will be following the same.

Far-Complex6116

Its a BIG step, if one can soon be able to change job at a whim, even if the visa sponsor controls the exit and re-entry that's already an improvement.

ablu3d

Is this real? Can iqama holders change jobs without kafeels's consent? I have friends who really need to do that

sssssre

Its for premium residency only. Lifetime is 800000 riyal and theres a yearly offer too

Lonely-Camp4768

could you share any authentic article / news published in Saudi papers / news channels / link / twitter or anything?

Beginning_Canary9209

I heard it so many times. They will never do it, their entire economy relies on the Kafala system.

Captain_Coty

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MBS will be for all good or bad reason be forever remembered in Saudi and Middle East history...

Funny-Bit-4148

That's a significantly better way to improve your standing as a country than, say, holding a festival for millionaire comedians.

Important-Factor7819

Abolishing is the easy part.  Actually implementing the law and make it stick will be the hard part and as another user already mentioned, it remain to be seen.

macross1984

BrilliantOk9694

Well this will ease the pain of some people - particularly in the lower paid sectors - to at least get home if they find their employment and lifestyle unpleasant. There are some extreme cases of people being mistreated, and of course there's culture shock and home sickness. 

I only work 6 weeks at a time here and I get those last two, so people on years long contracts will definitely feel it. 

I think the problem will be communicating this change to workers here. A lot of them don't have easy access to the internet and are less likely to read news like this if they do.

So I hope the message gets out there.

The article implies it's the south Asians who are most likely affected, but personally I think domestic helpers - often African or South East Asian women - are perhaps the biggest beneficiaries. 

Often though they live full time with their employer families, and are the ones who won't know these new rights or have easy access to them. 

It not so hard in the retail or transport sectors where a lot of foreign workers go - they at least have time to themselves and if push came to shove an opportunity to get a ticket and leave. 

But domestic helpers get very little time to themselves and often the worst employer families are the ones that restrict knowledge and freedom the most ...

AffectionateCat_

EnergyPolicyQuestion

&gt;The Kafala system, meaning “sponsorship” in Arabic, was introduced in Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, in the 1950s. Under this framework, a worker’s legal status was linked to their employer, known as the kafeel, giving employers significant control over their ability to change jobs, leave the country, or access legal recourse. Human rights organizations criticized the system for enabling exploitation, abuse, and conditions described as forced labour.

pqratusa

I have not seen an announcement in Saudi Gazette, so I'm not sure if this is actually official.

ogag79

Wait... they are **now** allowing people to leave the country without permission from their employer?

bruhbelacc

Yeah ill believe it when i stop needing having to ask my boss to approve my exit outside the country on my days off

oss1215

Alternative title, Saudi Arabia to abolish slavery

marian_mina

damn so they just abolished slavery? i thought they did that in 1964 through Kennedy

EwMelanin

I wonder if this is a result of deep seated societal and cultural change or merely a response to international criticism. If it's the latter, I wonder if it could lead to the former.

ADP_God

I have no complaints, they actually have done something positive

OrangeJr36

Spikerazorshards

Kuwait still has it afaik, Qatar only for a few critical people otherwise no

wordsoup

this is very old news. Nothing is abolished except now instead of person name it is company's name written on the residence id card. As well you still need to take permission and request company/owner to even allow you to go for 2 days vacation outside saudi the so called exit reentry permission. So pretty much everything is as it was.

aleeazzy

StudentLeading1177

But isn't it similar to the H1B visa in the USA? I am happy it got abolished though

Enamoure

comeonwhatdidIdo

[deleted]

Great step .. it will surely benefit many people of India who have moved to Saudi Arabia for working

Realistic_Gate_4488

Well now how will they get slaves to build stadiums for the 2034 WC?

CuriousAlbertoss

Took them this long to do something so basic. I wonder what changed, they probably realized they need the brains coming in.

easythrees

This sounds like bullshit. I checked the SPA website and nothing is mentioned there. There is no minister or official person named in the article. I have immediate family there and they would be the first to know and share. No one is reporting this other than TOI or ET.

Sounds like BS.

blaster1988

This is bullshit. Every couple of years, we read in the Indian newspapers that the kafeel system is abolished and its incorrect.


I don't know if its the incompetency of our Indian media or the intentionally falsify information to create news.


Saudi have just introduced a new system for investors and some special people to obtain a business visa or resident visa that does not require a kafeel.


But, for millions of expat workers in Saudi, nothing changes coz they still under the Kafeel system.

revolution110

Good news for all Bihari labours working in Saudi
Good luck to everyone

Free-Employment3818

There is nothing such thing so far and no new on official saudi news. Very respectfully, its difficult to accept news published in Indian papers. Please verify from the official Saudi source.

redditSelected

Can link the article of share the excerpts from it?

BakingApe368

Any idea when it goes live?

https://preview.redd.it/aixv1q0t61wf1.png?width=1014&amp;format=png&amp;auto=webp&amp;s=4bf20b0cfabf957c8e5f07b29ccc89787dc979b4

StuzaTheGreat

Wild that any employer could even hold this kind of power over a person.

DustOk6712

"FYI, there are many such articles. This is just one."

But they all report that their info is from the Times of India.  This, as yet, hasn't been independently confirmed for me.  I also checked the Saudi Press Agency website, and nothing new there.  Also, nothing new in the Gulf Times.  I checked with our PROs at work, and they haven't heard any news either.

I remain hopeful but unconvinced.

The article is describing all the benefits of premium residency. Honestly, there's no way any country can free up all the limitations on immigrants. Kafala is just a H1B on steroids, every country needs one system to ensure the immigrants who are coming to the country has a valid employer.

1ThatGotAwaay

Your employer must issue exit re entry visa or you won't be able to come back.

Novel-Grapefruit2221

This article may be paywalled. If you encounter difficulties reading the article, try [this 12ft.io link](https://12ft.io/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-abolishes-kafala-system-after-50-years-grants-freedom-and-new-rights-to-millions-ofmigrantworkers/amp_articleshow/124660103.cms) &amp; [this archive link](https://archive.is/?run=1&amp;url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-abolishes-kafala-system-after-50-years-grants-freedom-and-new-rights-to-millions-ofmigrantworkers/amp_articleshow/124660103.cms) for a non paywalled version.


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&gt;Under the new regime, workers can freely change employers without needing approval from their current sponsor, leave the country without an exit visa, and access legal protections that were previously unavailable. 

An exit visa?! Sounds very much like slavery! Why don't they come out and say that they've made it slavery Lite now?

ApunBolaTohBola

Why is it that I don’t see any other outlet reporting this? 

Google search only shows Indian websites.

crasherdgrate

Which_Appointment450

Saudi Arabia has abolished the Kafala system, allowing migrant workers to change jobs without employer permission, a significant reform in labor rights.

Abolition of Kafala System in Saudi Arabia

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