Musaned domestic worker hiring: how it works
How domestic worker hiring works on the Musaned portal — the four digital routes, the steps in each, and how Ployer structures the workflow around them.
The short answer
Musaned is the official portal for domestic worker hiring in Saudi Arabia, operated under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD). Employers hire through one of the digital routes: recruitment through a licensed agency, custom contracting, the known worker (Maarofa) service, or transfer where eligible. All steps run through Musaned and licensed channels; Ployer structures the workflow but does not replace the portal.
The Musaned hiring process at a glance
Register and confirm eligibility
Create your Musaned account and confirm you can sponsor a domestic worker.
Choose a digital route
Recruitment through a licensed agency, custom contracting, the known worker (Maarofa) service, or transfer where eligible.
Specify or select the worker
Set profession, nationality and gender, browse available resumes, or provide the known worker's passport and contact details.
Submit your request
Complete the selected digital service in the portal.
Complete the required steps
Insurance, contract and payment steps as shown on Musaned.
Track and onboard
Follow status in the portal and complete the worker's arrival and residence steps.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for employers in Saudi Arabia — households, individuals, family offices and companies — who want to understand how domestic worker hiring works through Musaned, and for workers and service providers who need to know the official routes.
- Employers hiring a domestic worker for the first time
- Households replacing a departing worker
- Expatriate residents sponsoring a worker from abroad
- Employers deciding between the agency, custom contracting and known worker routes
What does Ployer provide?
Ployer is the workflow layer around the official Musaned process. Employers describe the role once, compare candidate profiles, shortlist and interview, then follow a Saudi-specific checklist that keeps the route, documents and arrival steps on track.
- Structured role intake — housekeeping, nanny, cook, driver or caregiver
- Candidate profiles with skills, experience and language information
- Deterministic eligibility screening against your requirements
- Document vault with statuses for passport, contract and medical files
- Onboarding journey tracking from offer to work start
- WhatsApp connection so workers and sponsors can stay in touch
What is Musaned?
Musaned is the official electronic portal for domestic worker services in Saudi Arabia, operated under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD). It centralises requests, candidate information and service status for employers, licensed recruitment offices and domestic workers.
- Requests and offers submitted digitally
- Licensed recruitment offices connected to the portal
- Insurance, contract and payment steps managed through the service
- Status tracking for the employer throughout the process
What are the digital routes on Musaned?
Musaned currently offers four digital routes for hiring a domestic worker. Your situation determines which route applies, and route availability and eligibility can change.
- Recruitment through an agency — you specify profession, nationality and gender, select a licensed recruitment office and review candidate CVs.
- Custom contracting — you browse available resumes, choose a candidate and submit an offer to a recruitment office.
- Known worker (Maarofa) — you provide the passport and contact information of a worker you already know; covers selected nationalities.
- Transfer — digitized for eligible cases, including individual-to-individual and company-to-individual transfers.
Which route should you use?
| Route | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment through agency | Employer specifies profession, nationality and gender, selects a licensed office and reviews candidate CVs | Employers who want the office to source and shortlist candidates |
| Custom contracting | Employer browses available resumes, chooses a candidate and submits an offer to a recruitment office | Employers who want to pick a specific candidate from available resumes |
| Known worker (Maarofa) | Employer provides a known worker's passport and contact information; covers selected nationalities | Employers who already know the worker |
| Transfer | Digitized transfer of an existing domestic worker; eligible cases include individual-to-individual and company-to-individual | Employers hiring a worker already in Saudi Arabia who can be transferred |
The four digital routes on Musaned. Route availability and eligibility change — confirm current details on the portal.
Which documents are required?
The exact document list depends on the route and the worker's source country, but the core set is consistent across Musaned routes.
| Document | Who provides it | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Passport (valid well beyond the contract period) | Worker | Identity and contract processing |
| Nationality and identity information | Worker | Route eligibility checks, especially the known worker (Maarofa) service |
| Domestic worker contract | Employer + worker | Terms, duties, salary, accommodation |
| Insurance arrangement | Employer | Completed through the Musaned steps |
| Recruitment office documents | Licensed recruitment office | Required for the agency and custom contracting routes |
| Residence (Iqama) documents | Official authorities | Legal stay and work in Saudi Arabia |
Core Musaned document set. Additional documents may apply depending on source-country and route requirements — confirm on Musaned.
How much can it cost?
Total cost splits into official government fees, insurance, travel, and any recruitment or service fees. Figures vary by route, nationality and recruitment office. All numbers here are indicative planning guidance only — confirm the current fee schedule on Musaned before starting.
- Official government fees — set by the authorities; confirm on Musaned
- Medical and insurance costs — vary by provider and required cover
- Travel and airfare — usually employer-funded; varies by source country
- Recruitment office or service fees — only through lawful, licensed channels
- Monthly salary — depends on role, experience and duties; agree it in the written contract
How long can it take?
A straightforward case can complete in a number of weeks from request to arrival, but timing varies widely by route, source country and document readiness. Processing times are not guaranteed.
| Stage | Indicative duration | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Request submission and review | A few days to a few weeks | Route, employer eligibility, document completeness |
| Insurance, contract and payment steps | A few days | Required steps for your selected route |
| Worker processing in the source country | Varies by country | Source-country requirements and licensing |
| Travel and arrival | A few days | Flight availability and logistics |
Indicative planning ranges as of September 2026. Confirm current service status and expectations on Musaned.
What should employers check?
- Confirm current Musaned route requirements and fees before starting
- Verify the worker's identity and documents before any payment
- Put duties, hours, salary, accommodation and leave in a written contract
- Keep the worker's passport handling transparent — do not retain it without consent
- Complete the insurance and contract steps only through the portal
- Record every document and its status in one place
- Use only licensed channels; avoid anyone promising visa or permit guarantees
What protections do workers receive?
Musaned exists so domestic workers are employed through recorded, accountable arrangements. Ployer supports this by keeping the employment route explicit: written terms, tracked documents, clear responsibilities, and a guided process on both sides.
- Written contract with clear duties and salary
- Recorded insurance, contract and payment steps through Musaned
- Employer accountability through the official portal workflow
- Clear communication channel between worker and sponsor (including WhatsApp)
Musaned route checklist
Tick off each item as it is completed. Keep this list with your application folder.
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Common questions
Musaned is the official electronic portal for domestic worker services in Saudi Arabia, operated under MHRSD. It centralises hiring requests, candidate information and service status for employers, licensed recruitment offices and workers.
Musaned currently offers four digital routes: recruitment through a licensed agency, custom contracting, the known worker (Maarofa) service, and transfer in eligible cases. Confirm which routes are available for your situation on the portal.
The agency and custom contracting routes involve licensed recruitment offices. The known worker (Maarofa) route covers selected nationalities and does not require sourcing through an office. Confirm the current requirements on Musaned.
Core documents include the worker's passport, nationality and identity information, a signed employment contract, insurance completed through Musaned, and residence (Iqama) documents. Source-country and route requirements may add more.
Yes, if the worker's nationality is covered and the case qualifies. The known worker (Maarofa) route lets you provide the worker's passport and contact details. Confirm eligibility and current coverage on Musaned.
Musaned provides digitized transfer services for eligible cases, including individual-to-individual and company-to-individual transfers. Eligibility conditions must be confirmed on Musaned for your specific case.
Ployer is the workflow layer around the official portal — role intake, verified profiles, document tracking and onboarding — but it never replaces Musaned and never guarantees an official decision.
No. Permits and decisions are issued through Musaned and the official authorities under their own rules. Ployer structures and tracks the workflow but never guarantees an official decision.
Related guides
Tell us who you need.
Describe the role once — Ployer structures the requirements, shows verified matches and tracks the Saudi Musaned workflow.