Saudi Migrant Workers Describe a Decade of Exploitation on Riyadh Metro Project, Amnesty Says
Saudi Migrant Workers Describe a Decade of Exploitation on Riyadh Metro Project, Amnesty Says
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A new report by Amnesty International reveals that migrant workers employed on the Riyadh Metro project endured more than ten years of serious labor abuses, including illegal recruitment fees, dangerous working conditions in extreme heat, and extremely low wages.
According to the 42-page report by Amnesty International titled “Nobody Wants to Work in These Situations”: A Decade of Exploitation on the Riyadh Metro Project, the workers came largely from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal and were hired by a mix of Saudi and international firms operating on various phases of the metro construction between 2014 and 2025.
Amnesty International UK reported that many of the interviewed workers said their exploitation began before leaving home, where recruitment agents charged them fees ranging from US$700 to US$3,500, despite Saudi law prohibiting such payments.
For example, one Nepali worker described having to sell his wife’s family’s gold to pay the required recruitment costs, Amnesty International USA said. On site, workers reported being paid less than US$2 an hour while working over 60 hours a week.
They also endured extreme heat — with daily temperatures exceeding 40°C for over eight hours during summer — despite a government rule that bans outdoor labor in direct sunlight between midday and 3 p.m.
Other abuses documented by Amnesty include withholding of passports, seriously overcrowded and unsanitary housing, poor food, and discriminatory treatment based on job rank.
Amnesty argues that the exploitation was enabled by structural failures in Saudi Arabia’s labor system, particularly the kafala (sponsorship) regime, and weak enforcement of labor protections.
The report calls on both the Saudi government and the companies involved — including major international contractors — to conduct rigorous human rights due diligence to prevent further abuse.
Marta Schaaf, Amnesty’s Director for Economic & Social Justice, said the findings “should serve as a clear warning” to firms operating in Saudi Arabia: without proper safeguards, they risk being complicit in systematic labor abuses.
Amnesty also urged the home countries of the affected workers — including Bangladesh, India, and Nepal — to monitor and regulate recruitment agencies more strictly, in order to prevent the cycle of debt and exploitation.
