Domestic worker recruitment costs: GCC comparison
How recruitment costs are structured across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman — the cost components, what drives the total, and how to plan without relying on invented figures.
The short answer
Recruitment costs in the GCC split into four components: official government fees, medical screening, travel, and service or agency fees. Every country charges differently and totals vary by route, nationality and source country. Official fee schedules change, so there is no reliable single figure for the region — the practical approach is to itemise each component and confirm current fees with the relevant authority before committing.
Budgeting for recruitment at a glance
Itemise the cost components
Government fees, medical, travel and service or agency fees.
Confirm official fees
Check the current fee schedule with the relevant authority for your route.
Quote the service route
Ask licensed offices or agencies for a written breakdown, not a single total.
Add medical and travel
Include screening charges and employer-funded airfare where applicable.
Plan salary and obligations
Budget the monthly salary, accommodation and any insurance elements.
Review before payment
Confirm the route is lawful and no one is promising a guaranteed visa or permit.
Why compare recruitment costs across the GCC?
Domestic worker recruitment costs are country-specific and route-specific. Comparing the structure across the six GCC countries shows you where money goes and where to confirm figures — rather than relying on a single regional estimate.
- Official fees differ by country and route
- Medical, travel and service fees sit on top
- Salary expectations vary by role and source country
- A written cost breakdown protects both sides
How are recruitment costs structured in each GCC country?
The table below maps the cost components per country in qualitative terms. Specific figures are deliberately not quoted here because official fee schedules change; confirm current fees with each authority before starting.
| Country | Cost components | What drives the total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | LMRA permit fees, medical, NPRA visa fees, travel, service fees | Route, source country, provider charges | Permit services are electronic; confirm the current LMRA fee schedule |
| Saudi Arabia | Musaned route fees, medical, insurance, visa fees, travel, agency fees | Route (agency, custom, known worker, transfer), source country | Fees differ by route; confirm current charges on Musaned and with MHRSD |
| UAE | MOHRE-related fees, medical, entry permit fees, service fees, travel | Licensed service provider, source country, role | Tadbeer centres provide licensed services; confirm current fees with MOHRE |
| Qatar | Licensed office fees, medical, visa fees, travel | Licensed office chosen, source country | Law 15 of 2017 makes licensed offices the default; confirm current charges with the Ministry of Labour |
| Kuwait | Ministry of Interior visa fees, medical, insurance elements, travel, service fees | Route, source country, provider charges | Medical and insurance elements are part of the Domestic Work visa and Article 20 route |
| Oman | MOL permit fees, medical, ROP visa fees, travel, service fees | Route, source country, provider charges | Confirm the current MOL fee schedule and ROP visa charges |
GCC recruitment cost components. Indicative as of 2026-09-21 — confirm current requirements and fees with each authority.
What makes up the total cost?
Almost every GCC recruitment cost breaks down into the same four components, in different proportions. Itemising them makes comparison possible and hides nothing.
- Official government fees — permit, visa and residence charges set by each authority
- Medical screening — provider charges where screening is required
- Travel — usually employer-funded airfare from the source country
- Service or agency fees — charged only through lawful, licensed channels
- Salary and obligations — the monthly wage, accommodation and any insurance elements
How should you compare quotes?
Compare quotes on structure, not just price. Ask every provider for a written breakdown, and treat anything that looks too good to be true as a warning sign.
- Ask for a written breakdown of every fee, not a single total
- Confirm which official fees are included and which are charged separately
- Check that the provider is licensed in your country
- Ask what happens if the process fails or the worker does not arrive
- Never pay before the route and documents are confirmed
Where does Ployer fit in cost planning?
Ployer structures the employer journey and tracks documents and steps, so official and service costs are visible as a workflow rather than a surprise. Ployer does not publish fee figures it cannot substantiate, and never claims to be the cheapest route.
- Country-specific workflow checklists that surface each fee-bearing step
- Document vault tracking that prevents repeat payments
- No guaranteed visa or permit claims, and no invented price figures
GCC cost structure selector
Pick your country to see the typical cost components. Confirm current official fees with the authority before starting.
Select an option above.
Common questions
There is no reliable single figure: costs split into official government fees, medical, travel and service fees, and totals vary by country, route and source country. Itemise the components and confirm current fees with the authority.
Each country sets its own official fee schedules, medical requirements and visa charges, and routes (agency, direct, transfer) add different service fees. Comparing structure is more useful than comparing totals.
A written breakdown of every component: official fees, medical, travel, service fees and any insurance elements. Avoid quotes that present only a single total.
Agency and service fees are charged through lawful, licensed channels in GCC countries. Confirm the provider is licensed and the route is documented before paying.
Travel is usually employer-funded, but terms can vary by route and agreement. Confirm the arrangement in writing before committing.
Not necessarily. A lower total can hide excluded official fees or an unlicensed provider. Compare written breakdowns, not headline prices, and avoid any guarantee of the cheapest price.
Pay only for documented services through lawful channels, and be wary of anyone demanding full payment before the route and documents are confirmed. Never pay for a guaranteed visa or permit — no private service can offer one.
No. Official fees are set by the authorities and service fees by licensed providers. Ployer structures and tracks the workflow and publishes no fee figures it cannot substantiate.
What we can evidence on this page
Ployer does not publish fabricated reviews or self-awarded star ratings. Where evidence exists it is shown with its source and date; where it does not exist yet, it is stated plainly.
- No invented fee figures — This page deliberately quotes no country-specific fee amounts because official schedules change; readers are directed to confirm current fees with each authority.
- Official authority sources cited — Cost structure claims link to official GCC authority pages: LMRA, Musaned and MHRSD, MOHRE, Qatar Law 15 of 2017, Kuwait Government Online, and Oman MOL and ROP.
- Dated review — Fact-checked and updated on 2026-09-21; table captions carry the same date so readers know when guidance was reviewed.
- Named editorial ownership — Authored by the Ployer Editorial Team and reviewed by Ployer Compliance & Editorial Review before publication.
- Verifiable platform behaviour — Descriptions of Ployer's workflow reflect the platform's actual behaviour: checklists, document vault and no unsupported price claims.
Related guides
Official sources and references
- LMRA Bahrain — electronic Domestic Employee Permit service announcement
- Musaned (Saudi Arabia) — official domestic worker services platform
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), Saudi Arabia
- MOHRE UAE — domestic worker resolutions and circulars
- Qatar — Law No. 15 of 2017 on Domestic Workers
- Kuwait Government Online — Domestic Worker entry visa service
- Kuwait Government Online — Domestic Workers Residence Article 20
- Oman Ministry of Labour — private work permit service
- Oman Royal Oman Police — visa services
Tell us who you need.
Describe the role once — Ployer structures the requirements, shows verified matches and tracks the GCC workflow from offer to arrival.