The Ugandan government confirmed that a new General Labour Recruitment Bilateral Agreement has been signed with Saudi Arabia. The agreement allows for Ugandan professionals and manual labourers, such as doctors, engineers, carpenters and welders, to seek employment in the Kingdom.
Uganda also announced that the 2015 bilateral domestic worker’s labour agreement has been amended to fight “against trafficking and violation of worker’s rights.” Specific details of the amendment were not released.
The agreements follow efforts to clean up the recruitment sector in both countries.
Uganda banned the deployment of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia and Jordan in 2016. The ban was lifted in April 2017, but the Saudi embassy had not yet issued visas for migrant workers. The embassy is expected to resume issuing visas shortly.
The Uganda Association of External Recruitment Agencies estimates 20,000 Ugandans - Opens in new tab currently work in Saudi Arabia.
