Domestic worker transfer in Saudi Arabia is done online through Musaned: the current employer starts the request, the worker approves it, and the new employer accepts the contract and pays before the iqama moves on Absher. All three parties have to agree in a normal case, the worker must not have an open absence (huroob) report, and Saudi Gazette reported the whole process can take up to 23 days.
This guide is for households that want to take on a housemaid, cook, nanny or house driver already working in the Kingdom, for families passing a worker on, and for domestic workers who want to know their rights. It covers who can transfer, the steps, the costs, the cases where the old employer’s approval is not needed, and the mistakes that stall most requests.
What a domestic worker transfer means
A domestic worker transfer (naql khadamat, often called a sponsorship transfer) moves a worker who is already in Saudi Arabia from one employer to another without leaving the country. The worker keeps the same iqama number; the sponsor on that iqama changes.
Domestic workers do not use Qiwa. They are covered by the Regulation for Domestic Workers and Those in Similar Positions and handled on Musaned, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) platform for household labour. Musaned holds the contract, the salary record and the transfer request; Absher then updates the residency.
The scale is large. Musaned reported more than 122,000 service transfer requests in the first half of 2026, according to Okaz.
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Who can use the Musaned transfer service
The individual-to-individual transfer service went live on 1 August 2023. Saudi Gazette described it as a service for Saudi citizens moving a domestic worker between households.
Transfers can also run from a recruitment or manpower company to an individual, and to a recruitment company. Expat households that sponsor a house driver or maid should open Musaned with their own Absher login and check which transfer options it offers them, because eligibility depends on the employer’s record and income.
Based on the 2024 rules reported by Migrant-Rights, a consent transfer needs:
- From the current employer: the contract documented on Musaned, salaries paid electronically through Musaned, and no unresolved case at the domestic labour dispute committee.
- From the worker: a valid iqama and no case against the worker at the committee.
- From the new employer: eligibility checked by HRSD before approval, an active Absher account, and no ban from earlier domestic worker violations.
Since 1 January 2026, every household must pay domestic salaries through Musaned. A current employer who still pays in cash has a gap on the record, and that is a common reason a transfer gets stuck. Our domestic worker salary guide explains how to pay through Musaned.
Domestic worker transfer in Saudi Arabia step by step
The request is started by the current employer, not the new one. In practice it moves through three approvals and one payment.
- Agree the terms first. Both families and the worker should settle the start date, salary, duties and any transfer amount before anything is filed. Musaned will ask for these figures.
- Current employer files the request. On Musaned, choose the worker, pick the transfer service and enter the new employer’s national ID or iqama number with the new contract details.
- Worker approves. The worker receives a notification and accepts or rejects the new contract. The worker should do this on a phone in their own hands, not the employer’s.
- New employer accepts and pays. The new employer reviews the contract, accepts it and pays the transfer costs through the approved payment channel on the platform.
- Residency moves on Absher. After HRSD approval the change goes to Jawazat, and the worker appears under the new employer on Absher. New employers who have never used Absher should first complete Absher registration.
Saudi Gazette reported the process can take up to 23 days, depending on how quickly each party responds and on the Absher step. Clean cases are often quicker. Delays nearly always come from one party not responding in time.
How much a domestic worker transfer costs
The new employer pays. There are two parts: the transfer amount agreed with the old employer, and the government fees.
| Cost | What it is | What we know |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer amount (tanazul) | Paid to the old employer for giving up the worker, through Musaned | HRSD set a maximum by nationality in 2023, from SAR 10,023 for Ethiopia to SAR 21,535 for Indonesia |
| Government transfer fee | Fee for moving the iqama to the new sponsor | Widely quoted as SAR 2,000 for the first transfer, SAR 4,000 for the second and SAR 6,000 for the third; HRSD has not published a current schedule |
| Iqama renewal | Only if the iqama is near expiry | SAR 600 Jawazat fee for domestic workers |
| Medical insurance and other costs | Depends on the worker and the policy | Varies |
The 2023 price caps reported by Migrant-Rights include Kenya at SAR 14,135, Bangladesh at SAR 16,188, Sri Lanka at SAR 18,336 and the Philippines at SAR 19,270. These were the ceilings at launch; check the cap Musaned shows before agreeing a figure. Do not pay any amount in cash outside the platform, because Musaned only records what is paid through it.
For the wider picture of residency charges, see our Jawazat fees guide.
When a transfer is blocked
The most common block is an absence (huroob) report. Saudi Gazette quoted Musaned saying a worker cannot be transferred if an absence report was filed earlier.
Under the rules HRSD brought in during 2024, as reported by Migrant-Rights:
- An employer can only file an absence report if the worker’s permits are valid, the contract is documented on Musaned and the worker has actually stopped working in the house.
- The employer can withdraw the report within 15 days. After that it is final.
- A worker with a pending transfer request or a final exit visa cannot be reported absent.
- After a report, the worker has 60 days. A worker still on the first two-year contract can only leave on final exit in that window; a worker past two years can change sponsor within it. After 60 days the worker becomes irregular.
HRSD ran a grace period for workers reported absent before 11 November 2025, which let them move to a new employer through Musaned. It was extended to 11 May 2026, and we have not seen any announcement of a further extension. For the wider rules, read our huroob update guide.
Other blocks are simpler: an expired iqama, an open dispute committee case, or account details that do not match the contract. Check the worker’s status on our iqama expiry check before you file.
Transfer without the employer’s consent
A domestic worker can move to a new employer without the current employer’s approval in specific cases set by HRSD. The worker still needs a new employer willing to take them and to pay the transfer fees.
HRSD’s 2022 update, reported by Argaam, lists these cases:
- No salary for three months, in a row or with gaps, without a reason linked to the worker.
- The employer did not collect the worker from the airport or shelter within 15 days of arrival.
- The employer did not issue the worker’s iqama.
- The employer renewed the iqama 30 days or more after it expired.
Migrant-Rights reported further cases on the same list: the worker’s services were passed to others without the worker’s knowledge, proven abuse by the employer or a family member, an employer who is absent (travel or prison) and not paying wages, an employer who misses two dispute committee sessions, the employer ending the contract during probation, and cases where an authority recommends a transfer to protect the worker.
These cases are not a click-to-transfer option. The worker files a complaint through Musaned or the HRSD channels, and the case is reviewed. A worker with unpaid wages should also read what to do when the salary is late.
Transfer or final exit: which one fits
If the worker wants to stay in Saudi Arabia, it is a transfer. If the worker is leaving for good, it is a final exit, issued by the employer on Absher, and no new contract is made.
Either way, the old employer must settle the worker’s dues. Under the regulation, all dues are paid within one week of the contract ending, or two weeks if the worker ended it, and a worker with four consecutive years earns one month’s wage for every four years. Use our end of service calculator for the amount and our final exit visa guide for the exit steps.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- The new employer starts the process. Musaned expects the current employer to file. Fix: ask the current family to open the request from their account.
- Taking the worker home before approval. If the worker moves in early and the old employer files an absence report, the transfer is blocked. Fix: keep the worker with the current employer until Absher shows the change.
- Paying the old employer in cash. Money outside Musaned is not recorded and cannot be claimed back. Fix: pay only through the platform.
- The employer approves on the worker’s behalf. HRSD wants the worker’s own approval. Fix: let the worker accept the contract on their own phone, in a language they understand.
- Ignoring the iqama date. An expired iqama stops the request. Fix: renew first if it is close to expiry.
- Salary history off the platform. Cash salaries leave no record on Musaned. Fix: the current employer should settle and record wages through Musaned before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a domestic worker transfer take in Saudi Arabia?
A domestic worker transfer in Saudi Arabia can take up to 23 days, according to Musaned as reported by Saudi Gazette. The time depends on how quickly the current employer, the worker and the new employer each respond on Musaned, and on the final residency update through Absher. Clean requests with a valid iqama are often faster.
Can a housemaid transfer without her sponsor’s approval?
Yes, a housemaid can transfer without her sponsor’s approval in cases set by HRSD, such as three months of unpaid salary, an iqama that was never issued, or an iqama renewed 30 or more days late. She needs a new employer willing to pay the transfer fees, and the case goes through a complaint on Musaned, not the normal transfer button.
Who pays the domestic worker transfer fee?
The new employer pays the domestic worker transfer fee and the amount owed to the old employer. Both are paid through Musaned, and HRSD sets a maximum transfer amount by nationality. The government fee is widely quoted as SAR 2,000 for a first transfer, rising for later ones, so check the figure Musaned shows before you pay.
Can a domestic worker with a huroob report be transferred?
No, a domestic worker with an absence (huroob) report cannot be transferred through the normal Musaned service. Under the 2024 rules, a worker past the first two-year contract can still change sponsor within 60 days of the report, while a worker on the first contract can only leave on final exit in that window. After 60 days the worker becomes irregular.
Can expats transfer a house driver or maid to another family?
Expats who sponsor a house driver or maid can check the transfer options in Musaned with their own Absher login. The individual-to-individual service was launched for Saudi citizens in 2023, so the options shown depend on the employer. If Musaned does not offer a route, a final exit followed by fresh recruitment by the new family is the alternative.
Key takeaways
- Domestic worker transfers run on Musaned, not Qiwa, and finish on Absher.
- The current employer files, the worker approves, and the new employer accepts and pays.
- An open absence report blocks a normal transfer; check status before agreeing anything.
- Pay the transfer amount only through Musaned, within the HRSD cap for the worker’s nationality.
- Unpaid salary for three months and a missing or late iqama allow a transfer without the employer’s approval.
- Keep the worker with the current employer until Absher shows the new sponsor.
Last updated: 1 November 2026. Fees and caps can change; confirm the amounts shown in Musaned before paying. Sources: Musaned and HRSD statements as reported by Saudi Gazette (Zawya), Argaam (June 2022), Migrant-Rights (August 2022, August 2023 and May 2024) and Okaz (August 2026); Regulation for Domestic Workers and Those in Similar Positions (HRSD).