How to choose a licensed recruitment office and check it before contracting

Why the licence comes first

A licensed office works under the competent authorities’ supervision, follows the rules and approved contracts, and you can turn to official bodies if a problem arises. With an unlicensed provider nothing protects you, and it may put you in irregular arrangements that harm you and the worker.

So the first question isn’t “how much?” but “is this office licensed?”.

How to check the licence

Ask the office for its licence number and check it through the approved official channels; don’t rely on a picture of a certificate or a logo on a website. Make sure the office’s name and details match what appears through official channels.

It also helps to check the commercial registration and that the office’s address is real and can be visited.

We check licences — and so should you

At SaudiMaid we ask every provider that joins for its licence number and check it before any requests reach it. Even so, we always advise you to check yourself before contracting; a double check protects you more, and rules and licences can change.

Visiting or calling the office

If you can, visit the office yourself or contact it through its published official numbers. Talking directly reveals a lot: is there a member of staff who knows the procedures? Do they explain calmly? Do they give you written documents? Is the place real and organised?

Don’t rely only on social media accounts or personal numbers you can’t check; many irregular providers work that way.

Clear answers

A good office answers your questions clearly and patiently, explains the procedures, costs and guarantee period, and is willing to put its answers in writing. An office that dodges questions or pressures you to decide quickly is a sign worth pausing on.

Questions about the procedures

• What are the recruitment steps and roughly how long do they take?
• What goes through official channels, and what is my role?
• How do you follow the request and keep me informed?
• What happens if the procedures are delayed?

Questions about costs

• What exactly does the offer include?
• What are the official fees and what are the office’s fees?
• When and how do I pay, and do I get a receipt?
• What are the refund conditions if the procedures aren’t completed?

Questions about the guarantee and insurance

• How long is the guarantee period and which situations does it cover?
• Is the solution a replacement or a refund?
• Is contract insurance included, and what does it cover?

Read the guarantee and replacement period explained.

Questions about follow-up after arrival

A good office doesn’t disappear after arrival. Ask: do you help with understanding in the first weeks, such as translation and clarification? How do I reach you if a problem arises? Who is responsible for following my request?

Follow-up after arrival is one of the main differences between offices; it may not show in the price, but it shows in the experience.

How does the office talk about workers?

Notice how the office talks about workers. A respectful office talks about job-related skills and experience and explains the worker’s rights and the family’s obligations. An office that shows “lists”, compares nationalities by price, or talks about workers in a way that disrespects their dignity is out of step with both the rules and human dignity.

Warning signs

• It won’t give a licence number, or doesn’t appear in official channels.
• It asks for money before any written contract.
• It offers to “transfer” a worker from another family outside official procedures.
• It promises unrealistic timelines or results.
• It refuses to put guarantee or refund terms in writing.
• It talks about workers in a way that disrespects their dignity.

If any of these signs appear, stop and look for another office.

Compare more than one office

Don’t settle for one offer — comparing reveals the differences. Ask several licensed offices for written offers and put them in a simple table: procedures, expected time, what’s included, guarantee period, insurance, and follow-up after arrival.

Then compare the items, not just the totals. Read what affects recruitment costs.

Ask about your family’s specific needs

Every family’s needs differ, and a good office asks about them before offering anything: household size, children, older relatives, duties, and the skills needed such as cooking, childcare or driving. If an office doesn’t ask and just gives a general offer, it may not understand what you actually need.

With SaudiMaid your request reaches offices with this description, so the conversation starts from your needs rather than a general offer.

Read the contract before signing

Once you’ve chosen the office, read the contract item by item before signing: duties, salary, rest, leave, accommodation, guarantee and termination. Ask about anything unclear and keep a copy. Read the domestic work contract.

Monthly and hourly services

If you’re looking for a monthly or hourly worker, the principle is the same: make sure the company is licensed to provide that service, and ask what the contract includes, who the employer is and what the family carries. Read recruitment, monthly or hourly?.

If a problem arises with the office

If a problem arises with the office, start by contacting it in writing and keep the messages and receipts. If there’s no solution, you can turn to the competent official bodies through the approved channels.

How SaudiMaid helps

We are a matching service only: we don’t recruit, employ or sponsor. You describe your family’s needs once, your request reaches licensed providers whose licences we have checked, they contact you with offers, and you compare and choose. Read about SaudiMaid.