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In 2017, a nurse from Karnataka arrived in Saudi Arabia, lured by the promise of a monthly salary of Rs 25,000. Instead, she became a victim of trafficking and slavery under the infamous kafala system, enduring starvation, brutal labour, and threats of violence. Her months-long struggle for freedom ended only after intervention from Indian officials. This case highlighted the harsh realities faced by millions of migrant workers bound by the kafala, a decades-old sponsorship system.Recently, Saudi Arabia took a historic step by scrapping the kafala system, which had controlled migrant workers for over 50 years. This reform affects nearly 13 million foreign workers in the Kingdom, including 2.5 million Indians, who make up a significant portion of the Saudi labour force. While this move marks a breakthrough, the kafala persists in many Gulf countries, trapping some 24 million workers under similar restrictions.What Is The Kafala System?The kafala, meaning “sponsorship” in Arabic, was introduced in the 1950s during the Gulf’s oil boom to regulate the influx of foreign labour. Under this system, a migrant worker’s legal status is tied to a single employer, known as the kafala system, also referred to as the kafeel, which controls their visa, employment, and even their ability to leave the country. Workers are effectively powerless, forced to rely on their sponsor for permission to change jobs, travel abroad, or seek help.Originally intended to protect local jobs and ensure a reliable workforce, the system has instead exposed workers to exploitation and abuse. In Saudi Arabia, where nearly 40% of the population are migrants, the kafala has particularly impacted low-wage workers in sectors like construction, domestic help, hospitality, and cleaning. Many Indians, along with workers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, the Philippines, and Ethiopia, have suffered under these conditions.How Did The Kafala Enable Slavery?By giving employers unchecked authority, the kafala opened the door to severe abuses --- withheld wages, confiscated passports, forced labour, excessive working hours, and even physical and sexual violence. Many workers found themselves isolated and without legal recourse.The case of Haseena Begum, the nurse from Karnataka, is a stark example. Promised a high salary, she was subjected to brutal treatment by her kafeel, including being thrown from a building and beaten at a police station. Only after diplomatic intervention did she secure her release.Similarly, Mahavir Yadav, a building painter who moved to Saudi Arabia in 2010, died in 2016 following years of abuse and neglect by his employer, who withheld his wages and confiscated his passport, leaving him vulnerable.These are not isolated incidents. Organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Labour Organisation report thousands of such cases every year. The kafala system fits the International Labour Organisation’s definition of forced labour, work performed under threat and without consent.Why Did Saudi Arabia End The Kafala?On 14 October 2025, Saudi Arabia formally abolished the kafala system. This decision was driven by growing international criticism and the Kingdom’s desire to reform its economy and image under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030. The new laws allow workers to change jobs freely, leave the country without employer permission, and access labour courts directly.This reform is expected to drastically improve conditions for millions of migrants, including the vast Indian workforce, by granting them legal protections previously denied. However, experts caution that abolishing the law on paper is only the first step; true change depends on effective enforcement and dismantling entrenched abuses.What’s Next For The Gulf?While Saudi Arabia’s move is a landmark, other Gulf states continue to enforce variations of the kafala system, leaving millions at risk. Qatar made partial reforms ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and countries like the UAE and Bahrain have introduced limited changes, but the system largely remains intact.For millions of migrant workers, many of whom come from India, the kafala system has been a source of hardship and injustice. Its abolition in Saudi Arabia offers hope, but the broader struggle for fair treatment and dignity across the Gulf is far from over.
