The Musaned known worker (Maarofa) route explained
The Maarofa service lets employers contract with a domestic worker they already know by providing passport and contact details — how it works and when it applies.
The short answer
The known worker (Maarofa) service is a Musaned route that covers selected nationalities and lets employers provide a specific worker's passport and contact information rather than sourcing through an agency. Once the details are submitted, the employer completes the contract, insurance and payment steps in the portal. Eligibility depends on the worker's nationality and current service rules — confirm on Musaned.
The known worker (Maarofa) process at a glance
Confirm eligibility
Check on Musaned that the worker's nationality and your case are covered by the Maarofa service.
Provide the worker's details
Enter the worker's passport and contact information in the portal.
Complete the contract step
Finalise the employment contract as set out in Musaned.
Complete insurance and payment
Complete the required steps shown in the portal.
Track issuance and arrival
Follow the status in Musaned and complete the worker's arrival and residence steps.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for employers in Saudi Arabia who already know a domestic worker they want to hire — a returning worker, a relative's former helper, or a person known through their community — and who want to use the official Musaned route rather than sourcing through an agency.
- Employers hiring a worker they already know
- Households with a returning domestic worker
- Employers comparing Maarofa with the agency and custom contracting routes
- Workers and service providers who need to understand the route
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 known worker 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 contract to work start
- WhatsApp connection so workers and sponsors can stay in touch
What is the known worker (Maarofa) service?
The known worker (Maarofa) service is a digital route on Musaned that covers selected nationalities. Instead of specifying a profession and nationality for an agency to source, the employer provides the passport and contact information of a worker they already know, and the contract proceeds through the portal.
- You already know the worker and provide their details
- Covers selected nationalities — not every worker qualifies
- Contract, insurance and payment steps are completed in the portal
- Coverage and eligibility can change — confirm on Musaned
How does the known worker route work?
- Log in to Musaned and open the known worker (Maarofa) service.
- Confirm that the worker's nationality and your case are covered by the service.
- Provide the worker's passport and contact information in the portal.
- Complete the contract, insurance and payment steps set out in Musaned.
- Track issuance status in Musaned and complete the worker's arrival and residence steps.
How does Maarofa compare with the other routes?
| Route | Who chooses the worker | How the offer works | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment through agency | The licensed office sources candidates; employer reviews CVs | Employer requests through the office | Employers who want the office to shortlist |
| Custom contracting | Employer browses resumes and picks a specific candidate | Employer submits an offer to the recruitment office via Musaned | Employers who want to choose from available resumes |
| Known worker (Maarofa) | Employer provides a known worker's passport and contact details | Contract completed with the known worker; selected nationalities | Employers who already know the worker |
| Transfer | Worker already in Saudi Arabia, moving employers | Digitized transfer in eligible cases (individual-to-individual, company-to-individual) | Employers hiring a worker who can be transferred |
The four digital routes on Musaned compared. Availability and eligibility change — confirm current details on the portal.
Who can use the known worker route?
The Maarofa service covers selected nationalities only, and eligibility can change over time. Your case also needs to meet the current conditions of the service as set out on Musaned. If the worker is already in Saudi Arabia under another employer, the transfer route may be more relevant.
- Confirm the worker's nationality is currently covered on Musaned
- Check your own employer eligibility through the portal
- If the worker is already in Saudi Arabia, compare with the transfer route
- Do not rely on unofficial lists or promises of eligibility
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 |
| Passport and contact information for the portal | Employer | Required for the Maarofa service entry |
| Domestic worker contract | Employer + worker | Terms, duties, salary, accommodation |
| Insurance arrangement | Employer | Completed through the Musaned steps |
| Residence (Iqama) documents | Official authorities | Legal stay and work in Saudi Arabia |
Core known worker (Maarofa) document set. Additional documents may apply depending on source-country and route requirements — confirm on Musaned.
How much can the known worker route cost?
Total cost splits into official government fees, insurance, travel, and any service fees. Figures vary by nationality and your specific case. 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
- Insurance costs — vary by provider and required cover
- Travel and airfare — usually employer-funded; varies by source country
- Service fees — only through lawful, licensed channels
- Monthly salary — depends on role, experience and duties; agree it in the written contract
What should employers check?
- Confirm the worker's nationality is currently covered by Maarofa on Musaned
- Confirm your own employer eligibility through the portal
- Provide accurate passport and contact information for the worker
- Put duties, hours, salary, accommodation and leave in a written contract
- Complete the insurance and contract steps only through the portal
- Record every document and its status in one place
- Use only official channels; avoid anyone promising visa or permit guarantees
What protections do workers receive?
The known worker route exists so domestic workers are employed through recorded, accountable arrangements under Musaned. 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 contract, insurance and payment steps through Musaned
- Employer accountability through the official portal workflow
- Clear communication channel between worker and sponsor (including WhatsApp)
Known worker (Maarofa) checklist
Tick off each item as it is completed. Keep this list with your application folder.
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Common questions
It is a digital route on Musaned that covers selected nationalities and lets employers provide the passport and contact information of a domestic worker they already know, rather than sourcing through an agency. The contract, insurance and payment steps are completed in the portal.
Coverage is limited to selected nationalities and changes over time. Confirm the current list and conditions on Musaned before starting; do not rely on unofficial lists.
Custom contracting has you browse available resumes and choose a candidate through a licensed recruitment office. Maarofa is for a worker you already know — you provide their passport and contact details directly in the portal, with no sourcing involved.
You provide the worker's passport and contact information in the portal. The core document set then includes a signed employment contract, insurance completed through Musaned, and residence (Iqama) documents. Confirm the current list on Musaned.
No. The worker's nationality must be covered by the Maarofa service, and your case must meet the current conditions on Musaned. If the worker is already in Saudi Arabia under another employer, the transfer route may apply instead.
That can affect eligibility. If the worker is already registered under another sponsor in Saudi Arabia, review the transfer route on Musaned and confirm which service applies to your case.
No. Approvals 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.