Saudi Arabia has abolished its decades-old Kafala system, a labour sponsorship model that controlled the lives and rights of millions of foreign workers. The decision, announced in June 2025, marks a historic step toward improving migrant welfare and labour rights in the kingdom. The reform is expected to benefit around 13 million migrant workers, mostly from South and Southeast Asia.
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The word Kafala, derived from Arabic for "sponsorship," came to represent an entire way of life in the Gulf -- one where employers had near-total con
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