On 7 October, Saudi Arabia announced the launch of an insurance scheme to protect migrant workers’ wages in cases of employer default. While the scheme recognizes the clear need to address wage theft and compensate workers when employers fail to meet their contractual obligations, its design and restrictive eligibility criteria mean that it may not provide comprehensive protection for all migrant workers who need it. As a result, it falls considerably short of what is needed to truly safeguard workers’ rights, continuing to leave them exposed to abuse and vulnerability.
