Expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia who have gone months without pay may have another form of protection through the country’s Expatriate Worker Wage Insurance Service.
The program is designed to help eligible private-sector workers when an employer fails to pay salaries and other contractual benefits for a long period.
What Does the Insurance Cover?
The scheme can cover up to six months of unpaid wages and entitlements before an establishment is officially classified as being in default.
Compensation is based on the worker’s documented salary, including the basic wage and allowances stated in the employment contract.
The policy has a maximum compensation limit of SAR 17,500 per worker.
Workers who decide to leave Saudi Arabia may also qualify for an economy-class return ticket worth up to SAR 1,000.
Who Can Qualify?
The insurance does not automatically apply every time a salary is delayed.
According to Saudi guidelines, the employer generally needs to be classified as a defaulting establishment. This can happen when salary payments have been delayed for 80% or more of employees for at least six months.
The program mainly covers expatriates working for registered private-sector companies.
Some workers are excluded, including domestic workers, seasonal workers, temporary workers, and certain agricultural workers.
This means Filipino household service workers should not assume that this specific insurance scheme covers them.
What Should a Worker Do?
Workers can first check whether they are covered by using the official insurance verification service and entering their Iqama number.
For a claim, they may be asked to provide documents such as their employment contract, identification, previous salary records, and official proof showing the unpaid wages.
Claims are processed through the appointed insurance company.
Workers do not necessarily have to leave Saudi Arabia before filing a claim. Eligible employees may still qualify even if they later transfer to another employer.
What OFWs Should Remember
This insurance is not a replacement for filing a labor complaint when wages are delayed.
Instead, it serves as another layer of protection for eligible workers when an employer has already reached serious default conditions.
Those who are not being paid should keep copies of their contract, pay slips, bank records, and communication with their employer. These records may help support a future complaint or insurance claim.
