MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has called on runaway Filipino domestic workers in Saudi Arabia to take advantage of the six-month grace period granted by the Saudi government to correct their legal status without facing penalties.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac announced that from May 11 to November 10, 2025, Filipino household service workers (HSWs) in the Kingdom with irregular status are encouraged to regularize their stay through the assistance of the Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar.
“We urge our kababayans, our domestic workers in Saudi with irregular status, to take advantage of this opportunity to correct their legal situation. Seek help from our MWOs for support,” said Secretary Cacdac.
Runaway workers—those reported as absentees by their employers—can process their status correction through automated procedures in Musaned, the official platform of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD). This initiative is part of HRSD’s efforts to ensure fairness and protection for workers in the Kingdom’s household sector.
Secretary Cacdac emphasized that this move aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen the welfare and safety of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
Currently, more than a hundred Filipino runaway domestic workers have been documented in Riyadh and Jeddah, with about 50 cases in Al Khobar. Most of them have already secured exit visas and are awaiting flight tickets from their agencies and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for repatriation.
Earlier this month, DMW Undersecretary Jun Rasul visited MWOs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to assess ongoing labor and welfare services and review pending cases handled by the Assistance to Nationals (ATN) Units with support from Legal Retainers and In-House lawyers.
The DMW reaffirmed its commitment to continue working closely with Saudi authorities to uphold ethical and safe labor migration practices for every Filipino worker in the Kingdom.
