The General Organization for Social Insurance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia clarified important details regarding the possibility of subjecting domestic workers to the social insurance system, in addition to clarifying the documents required to disburse entitlements to the family members of the deceased subscriber, and the conditions of voluntary subscription.
The context of social protection in the Kingdom
These clarifications come as part of the Kingdom's ongoing efforts to strengthen the social protection system and expand insurance coverage to include broader segments of society, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, which focuses on preserving workers' rights and ensuring a decent life for citizens and residents. The social insurance system is a fundamental pillar of family financial stability, providing an alternative income in cases of disability, retirement, or death, thus enhancing social and economic security.
Conditions for registering domestic service workers
In response to frequently asked questions, the Social Security Corporation clarified that the primary criterion for domestic workers to be covered by social security is the place of employment. Specifically, the workplace must not be located directly within a private residence.
Accordingly, it is clear that the following categories are subject to the provisions of the Social Insurance Law:
- Security guards for properties and residential buildings.
- Gardeners are employees of establishments or complexes and are not private domestic workers within the residence.
Documents required for disbursing the heirs' entitlements
In a related context, the Authority specified a list of necessary documents that the family members of the deceased subscriber must submit to ensure the disbursement of insurance benefits, as follows:
- Fill out the compensation procedures form available via the forms page on the official website.
- Submit the subscriber's death certificate or any certified official document that accurately specifies the date of death.
- An official certified document that clarifies the list of beneficiary heirs and their ages.
- Marriage contract for the widow or widows, or any official document proving the marital relationship.
- Proof of dependency (a document stating that the subscriber was supporting the applicant for disbursement), with the exception of widows, sons, and daughters from this condition.
- For sons and brothers who are over 21 years of age: A document proving their enrollment in studies (renewed annually until graduation or reaching the age of 26).
- Certified medical reports proving the inability to earn a living for the sons or brothers to be presented to the medical committee.
- For the father, grandfather, or widower: a document proving that he has reached the age of sixty, or a medical report proving his inability to earn a living if he is younger than that.
- Bank account number (IBAN) for pension transfer.
- National identity card or family card for eligible heirs.
- Annual declaration of non-Saudi heirs on the specified dates.
Optional subscription: Beneficiary categories
On the other hand, the Saudi social insurance system offers the option of voluntary enrollment in the pensions branch to a number of Saudi categories who are not employed by government or private entities, in order to secure their retirement future. These categories include:
- Self-employed professionals who have obtained practice licenses from the competent authorities.
- Self-employed craftsmen (such as blacksmiths, carpenters, plumbers) under official licenses.
- Saudis working outside the Kingdom without being affiliated with an employer whose headquarters are inside the Kingdom.
- Saudis working in foreign international, political, or military missions within the Kingdom (who are not subject to the system compulsorily).
- Subscribers whose mandatory subscription has stopped and who wish to complete their subscription periods to ensure pension eligibility.
This system is a vital step to enable workers in the free economy and non-traditional sectors to obtain retirement rights similar to those of public and private sector employees.
