Amnesty International has called on Saudi Arabia to strengthen protections for migrant workers facing exploitation and abuse, as the International Labour Organization begins reviewing a historic complaint from the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) union.
This complaint accuses Saudi Arabia of wage theft, forced labor, and banning labor unions. Amnesty recognized the October 7 launch of a wage insurance product as a step within Saudi Vision 2030 reforms, but criticized it as inadequate, citing complex eligibility conditions and exclusions, such as domestic and seasonal workers.
Stephen Cockburn, Amnesty’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, urged Saudi Arabia to view this complaint as a “warning” to align labor laws with international standards, especially given the country’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup.
