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Working in Saudi Arabia: moratorium status and legal routes

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Placing Indonesian domestic workers with private households in Saudi Arabia is still banned; SPSK was revoked. Formal jobs go through licensed P3MI.

Placing Indonesians with individual employers in Saudi Arabia, including as domestic workers and private drivers, is still banned under Kepmenaker 260/2015. The reopening plan announced in 2025 is not in force.

Summary

  • Saudi Arabia is one of the 19 countries under the Kepmenaker 260/2015 moratorium, so Indonesians may not be placed with individual employers there.
  • The decision setting up the Single-Channel Placement System (SPSK) for Saudi Arabia, Kepmenaker 291/2018, was revoked on 20 January 2026.
  • The President approved a plan to reopen placement to Saudi Arabia on 14 March 2025, but as of October 2026 KP2MI still calls Saudi Arabia a moratorium country.
  • Formal jobs with legal-entity employers in Saudi Arabia go through a P3MI holding an SIP2MI, or as an independent migrant worker (Law 18/2017 Article 63).
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On this page
  1. Which legal work routes exist for Saudi Arabia?
  2. Where does the plan to reopen placement to Saudi Arabia stand?
  3. What should you watch for in job offers for Saudi Arabia?

Where does the plan to reopen placement to Saudi Arabia stand?

Reopening has been discussed since early 2025, but it has not become a rule in force.

  • 14 March 2025: the President approved a plan to reopen placement to Saudi Arabia. It included a minimum salary guarantee, health, life and employment protection, and cooperation between P3MI agencies and Saudi agencies.
  • 19 March 2025: KP2MI and other ministries agreed eight points, including making Saudi Arabia a pilot, linking SiskoPMI with Saudi Arabia's Musaned system, and reviewing Kepmenaker 291/2018 and 260/2015.
  • 23 October 2025: KP2MI was still negotiating with Saudi Arabia for employment contracts with legal-entity companies, not individuals.
  • 20 January 2026: Kepmenaker 8/2026 revoked the SPSK decision. Kepmenaker 260/2015 was not among those revoked.
  • 30 March 2026 and 6 October 2026: KP2MI confirmed the moratorium is still in force and sanctioned a P3MI that placed workers in Saudi Arabia outside legal procedures.

What should you watch for in job offers for Saudi Arabia?

Watch for travel on umrah or pilgrimage visas to work, work visas whose job title differs from the real job, and recruiters claiming the moratorium has been lifted. Requirements, costs and steps for formal jobs in Saudi Arabia are on the route page. For help as an Indonesian citizen, use the official channels below.

Which official channels can you contact?

Frequently asked questions

When will domestic work in Saudi Arabia reopen for Indonesians?

There is no official date. The plan announced in March 2025 aimed at an MoU with Saudi Arabia, and in October 2025 KP2MI was still negotiating for contracts with legal entities. As long as Kepmenaker 260/2015 stands, placement with individual employers stays banned. KarirAman updates this page when an official decision is made.

Can I trust high-salary offers for domestic work in Saudi Arabia?

No, not while the moratorium stands. The minimum salary proposed in the 2025 reopening plan has not become a rule in force. Recruiters who use that figure to recruit domestic workers now are offering an illegal route.

Can I travel on an umrah visa and then work in Saudi Arabia?

No. Indonesian Law 18/2017 Article 13 requires a work visa. In March 2026 KP2MI said brokers still send Indonesians to the Middle East outside legal procedures on umrah or pilgrimage visas, including as domestic workers, and some are taken on to other countries. Such offers are a trafficking red flag.

What is the age limit for working in Saudi Arabia?

Age limits differ by legal route: Formal work for legal-entity employers: at least 18 years. Check the route page again before you apply.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Keputusan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Nomor 260 Tahun 2015 tentang Penghentian dan Pelarangan Penempatan Tenaga Kerja Indonesia pada Pengguna Perseorangan di Negara-negara Kawasan Timur Tengah JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan · Kepmenaker 260/2015 · accessed
  2. Keputusan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Nomor 8 Tahun 2026 tentang Pencabutan Keputusan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Bidang Penempatan dan Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan · Kepmenaker 8/2026 · accessed
  3. Presiden Prabowo setuju pembukaan kembali penempatan PMI ke Arab Saudi Kementerian Sekretariat Negara RI · accessed
  4. Ini 8 poin kesepakatan rencana pencabutan moratorium penempatan pekerja migran ke Arab Saudi Kementerian Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia (KP2MI) · accessed
  5. KP2MI berunding dengan Arab Saudi soal moratorium pekerja migran ANTARA · official statement via media · accessed
  6. Masih moratorium, Kementerian P2MI berantas calo PMI ke Timteng (ANTARA) ANTARA · official statement via media · accessed
  7. KP2MI jatuhkan sanksi kepada P3MI yang menempatkan PMI non-prosedural ke Arab Saudi (laporan Prokalteng) Prokalteng (Jawa Pos Group) · official statement via media · accessed
  8. Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Working in Saudi Arabia: moratorium status and legal routes. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/saudi-arabia/

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Change log
  • : Clarified the independent migrant worker route and added an FAQ on umrah visas, a pointer to the formal work page and help channels.