A coalition of rights and labour groups has urged the International Labour Organization’s Governing Body to reject Saudi Arabia’s request to close an Article 26 complaint filed by African trade union groups, warning that doing so would be premature and would leave millions of migrant workers vulnerable to continued abuse. The appeal comes as the ILO’s 356th Session, which began on 23 March 2026, reviews the complaint, which had already been accepted as receivable at the previous session.
The complaint accuses Saudi Arabia of failing to uphold its obligations under key ILO conventions it has ratified, particularly in protecting migrant workers from forced labour, unpaid wages, unsafe working conditions, discrimination, and other serious abuses. According to the groups, evidence from trade unions, human rights organizations, United Nations bodies, and the ILO’s own supervisory system shows that these violations remain widespread and persistent across sectors employing migrant labour.
The organizations argue that although Saudi Arabia has asked for the complaint to be dismissed on the basis of recent reforms and procedural grounds, it has not provided credible proof that these reforms are being effectively implemented or that they have improved conditions for workers. They say the government’s response fails to show that migrant workers are actually benefiting from stronger protections, better living and working conditions, or real accountability for abusive employers.
The statement highlights a range of continuing abuses, including illegal recruitment fees, deceptive recruitment practices, wage theft, excessively long working hours, unsafe workplaces, and severe restrictions on workers’ movement. It also stresses that the kafala sponsorship system remains largely intact despite some legal changes, continuing to expose migrant workers to exploitation. Domestic workers, agricultural workers, fishers, and others in vulnerable sectors are said to remain especially at risk because they are still excluded from core labour protections and have seen little benefit from recent reforms.
The groups also criticized Saudi Arabia for dismissing anonymous victim testimonies submitted in support of the complaint, arguing that anonymity is essential because workers face real risks of retaliation in a system where freedom of expression is tightly restricted and access to justice is limited. They pointed to the Saudi government’s decision to publicly identify a leader of one of the African trade unions behind the complaint as evidence of a hostile approach that appears more focused on intimidating complainants than addressing the substance of the allegations.
Concerns were also raised about weak labour inspections and reduced penalties for employer abuses. According to the statement, recent changes have significantly lowered sanctions for violations such as passport confiscation and denial of weekly rest, while labour inspections are said to focus more on enforcing national hiring targets and controlling migrants than on protecting workers from exploitation. The groups argue that these misplaced priorities have created an environment in which abusive employers can operate with near impunity.
The coalition concluded that the seriousness and scale of the alleged abuses make continued ILO scrutiny essential. It warned that closing the complaint at this stage would not only undermine accountability in Saudi Arabia but could also discourage trade unions and migrant rights advocates from using the Article 26 mechanism in future, weakening one of the ILO’s most important tools for enforcing international labour standards.
