What is Musaned?
Musaned is the Saudi government's official online platform for domestic worker recruitment, contracting, and management. Operated under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), it is the mandatory digital channel through which households in Saudi Arabia legally hire domestic workers from approved labour-exporting countries. The platform standardises employment contracts, manages work visas, and provides wage payment and dispute resolution tools for both households and workers.
What Musaned Handles
Musaned covers the full lifecycle of domestic worker employment:
- Searching and browsing available domestic workers from partner countries
- Connecting households with licensed recruitment offices
- Standardising and registering employment contracts
- Issuing and managing the domestic worker's entry visa and work permit
- Electronic wage payment to domestic workers
- Contract renewal and end-of-contract procedures
- A dispute resolution channel for issues between households and workers
How Expatriate Families Use Musaned
Expatriate families in Saudi Arabia who wish to sponsor a domestic worker must use Musaned. The typical process involves:
- Create or log in to your Musaned account, linked to your Absher or national identity profile
- Browse available workers or select a licensed recruitment office
- Review worker profiles, agree on contract terms, and sign the standardised employment contract through the platform
- Pay the visa sponsorship fee, recruitment fee, and any other applicable charges through the platform's digital payment system
- Track the visa issuance status and the worker's arrival date
- After arrival, complete any onboarding steps required by the platform
The platform's standardised contract spells out the worker's salary, working hours, leave entitlements, and other conditions, providing both the household and the worker with a legal record. Wage payments are encouraged through the platform's electronic payment system and may be required for compliance.
Worker Protections and the Musaned Protection Programme
Musaned includes protection mechanisms designed to reduce exploitation and ensure workers receive the terms agreed in their contract. The platform records the contract digitally, so both parties have a reference point in disputes. Saudi Arabia has also introduced a domestic worker protection programme providing a degree of insurance coverage for workers in certain situations, covering matters such as medical emergencies or early repatriation. Confirm the current scope and terms of any protection scheme on the Musaned portal, as the programme has evolved over time.
Why Musaned Matters
Before Musaned, domestic worker recruitment was less regulated, leading to disputes over undocumented contract terms and conditions. The platform provides a legal paper trail, a formal complaints channel, and standardised protections for both parties. For households, using Musaned is the required legal route for bringing domestic workers from partner countries. Attempting to hire or bring in a domestic worker outside this system can result in legal and residency complications. Confirm current recruitment fees, the list of partner countries, eligibility criteria for sponsoring households, and processing times on the official Musaned portal, as these details are reviewed and updated periodically by the government.