Gambian Domestic Workers to Saudi Arabia Offered $200 Monthly; Spain and Dubai Yet to Be Announced
Ministry of Trade Permanent Secretary Mod Secka © National Assembly YouTube
By Edrissa Jallow
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade held an oversight session at the National Assembly on Tuesday, 4th February 2025, with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Regional Integration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Gambians Abroad. During the session, representatives from the ministries updated parliamentarians on the progress on preparation works for Gambians to work in Spain and Saudi Arabia.
Currently, there has been a lot of focus on two separate bilateral labour agreements between The Gambia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Spanish government. Not much is known about the domestic workers agreement with the UAE (Dubai). The huge number of young people who stormed the Department of Labour earlier this week highlights that most youths want to travel to Spain.
During the oversight meeting, it was mentioned that 50 workers are to be recruited to Spain who will mostly be picking fruits, but for Saudi Arabia and Dubai, the number of Gambians to be recruited has not been finalised. The first 50 to travel to Spain will feature the first trial, and this will decide how subsequent phases will be conducted.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Mr. Mod K. Secka, revealed during his presentation that “the Saudi’s are using an online system called Mossanet, which is being used by Gambian recruitment agencies.” He added that one agency, Gamjobs, “has enlisted 8,139 potential participants, but given the process, only 12 of them have now gotten visas, and 40 have been on the Mosanet, and they are being processed.”
Another agency called Outsourced “has enlisted 1,345 Gambians, and 10 visas have been given while 55 are under processing as we speak.”
The Spain Circular Migration Memorandum of Understanding was ratified by the Gambia's National Assembly on the 19th of October 2024. Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabia Domestic Workers Recruitment Agreement was ratified on the 24th of September 2024.
The pay scale for Gambian domestic workers in Saudi Arabia was revealed after the member for Sannehmentering Constituency, Hon. Fatou Cham, questioned the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Mod K. Secka, about the potential pay scale for workers.
"Regards to the pay scale as well, how is the arrangement for the pay scale when the applicants have applied and they happen to get over to the place to begin work? Have you discussed any pay scale for our migrants?" asked Hon. Cham, who doubles as the deputy chair of the Trade Committee.
In response, PS Secka stated that the Saudi government has offered a monthly salary of $200, equivalent to D13,950 at the Central Bank of The Gambia's exchange rate of $1 to D69.75.
"For Saudi, we are looking at around USD$200, but [the] government is trying to negotiate for more per month... It's like that is your take-home pay, and you are not spending anything for food, housing, or medical; all those are covered in the scheme. So it's like each individual will get a take-home pay of like USD$200 excluding other expenses," explained PS Secka.
Soon after, the Majority Leader and Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Billay G. Tunkara, intervened to enquire about the Spain labour pay scale agreement, asking, "How about Spain?"
The Permanent Secretary asserted that his ministry "has not yet agreed on the wages"; however, the agreement is "such that the farmers will come when they are making the final selections. So it's like we will shortlist a certain number, and they will come and pick out of that. They [Spanish farmers] themselves will participate in the final choosing."
