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Amnesty International warned on March 24, 2026 that the Saudi Arabian government is actively lobbying to have a formal complaint filed by African trade unions dismissed from the agenda of the International Labour Organization's Governing Body. The complaint concerns persistent and widespread violations of migrant workers' rights under Saudi Arabia's kafala sponsorship system. The ILO Governing Body is meeting from March 23 to April 2, 2026 for its 356th Session, at which the complaint is scheduled for consideration.
The Kafala System and Migrant Exploitation
Saudi Arabia's kafala system ties migrant workers' legal status directly to their employer or sponsor, creating a structural power imbalance that leaves workers vulnerable to exploitation, forced labour, and abuse. Workers are frequently unable to change employers or leave the country without their employer's permission. Despite some announced reforms in recent years, Amnesty International says the system has not been effectively dismantled and continues to expose millions of workers — predominantly from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Africa — to serious risks.
The formal complaint was submitted to the ILO by African trade union organisations on behalf of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. It alleges that Saudi Arabia has failed to meet its obligations under several ILO conventions ratified by the kingdom, including those relating to forced labour, freedom of association, and non-discrimination. The complaint is a rarely used formal mechanism under ILO rules and represents a significant escalation in international scrutiny of Saudi labour practices.
The Saudi Arabian government is actively seeking to have this ILO complaint buried. However, despite some recent legal reforms, Saudi Arabia's kafala sponsorship system has not been effectively dismantled and continues to expose millions of migrant workers to significant risk of abuse, including forced labour. The ILO should continue to scrutinise the case.
Steve Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice, Amnesty International
ILO Member States Must Hold Firm
Amnesty International is calling on ILO member states to resist any pressure — diplomatic, economic, or otherwise — to vote to dismiss or table the complaint. The organisation stresses that the integrity of the ILO's complaints mechanism depends on it being applied consistently and independently, regardless of the economic or geopolitical weight of the country concerned. Allowing that pressure to succeed would send a damaging signal that powerful states can evade accountability for labour rights abuses.
Source: Amnesty International
Asylum Implications: Political dissidents, civil society activists, and independent journalists from Saudi Arabia face persecution on the grounds of political opinion under Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The conditions described in this article are directly relevant to asylum and international protection claims. For comprehensive country evidence, see the Saudi Arabia country report.
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