End of Kafala in Saudi Arabia: Hope for 2.5 Million Indian Workers

In a groundbreaking development, Saudi Arabia has officially abolished the kafala sponsorship system, a policy that has governed migrant labor for over half a century. This reform is set to liberate around 13 million foreign workers, with 2.5 million Indian citizens constituting a significant portion. The kafala system, originating in the 1950s, historically linked a worker’s residency and employment to a specific sponsor (kafeel), leaving them vulnerable to abuses. Common issues under the system included wage theft, retention of passports, excessive working hours, and even physical or sexual violence, as evidenced by numerous tragic cases of Indian workers. The recent abolition, effective October 14, 2025, allows migrant workers to switch employers freely and exit the country without needing their sponsor’s permission, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification and modernization agenda. Although Saudi Arabia has made this critical change, variations of the kafala system persist in neighboring Gulf countries, highlighting the ongoing need for international pressure and robust enforcement mechanisms to prevent further exploitation of migrant workers globally.