Three types of providers you find in the market
When you search for “labor leasing companies”, different providers come up under the same name. The difference between them is not in the name, but in the official channel through which the worker reaches your site:
| Type of provider | What it is | How to check it | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| A company licensed to provide labor services | A provider whose business is providing labor services to others | Ask for its license number from the Ministry of Human Resources and check it through the Ministry’s channels | A license whose name does not appear in the contract, or a commercial registration for a different activity |
| A company with surplus workers | A company whose project has ended or whose work has slowed down, making its workers available for a while | Check its commercial registration, and check that the arrangement is documented on the Ajeer platform before starting | Refusing documentation, or “we send them now and document it later” |
| An unlicensed middleman | A person or office that gathers workers from here and there and offers them | There is no official channel: the worker works for someone other than their employer without an arrangement | “Ready right now” with no papers, cash payment, and no contract |
The Ministry of Human Resources regularly announces that it has caught companies providing labor services without a license, among them providers working through websites and apps. So finding an ad or a page is not enough; what matters is what stands behind it.
A checklist before signing
- Commercial registration: valid, and matching the name of the provider on the contract and the invoice.
- License: if the provider offers labor services as its business, it has a license from the Ministry of Human Resources. Ask for its number and check it.
- Documentation: if the worker comes from another company, confirm the channel for the arrangement and document it before work starts: a suitable service on the Ajeer platform or a licensed provider.
- The worker’s papers: a valid iqama (residence permit), and a registered profession that matches the work required, because a seconded worker works in their licensed profession.
- Licenses and certificates: licenses for drivers and equipment operators, and health certificates for food workers.
- A written contract: the scope of work, the period, the hours, housing and transport, replacement, termination and payment.
- Safety: who provides the protective equipment, and who is responsible for work injuries.
Article 39: why a verbal agreement is not enough
Article 39 of the Labor Law provides that, without following the official rules and procedures, an employer may not let their worker work for others, a worker may not work for another employer, and an employer may not employ a worker who belongs to someone else. In other words, the violation does not fall on the providing company alone, but also on the company that put the worker to work. The Ministry of Human Resources carries out the inspections and catches the violations.
A verbal agreement between the owners of two companies, however much they trust each other, does not make the arrangement legal. What makes it legal is documentation through the right channel.
Six questions to ask the provider before signing
A serious provider answers these questions easily and is not bothered by them:
- Who is the workers’ original employer? And ask for proof of it.
- Through which channel will the arrangement be documented? A permit or contract on the Ajeer platform, or a license to provide labor services.
- What is each worker’s profession on their iqama? And does it match the work you will ask them to do?
- Who covers housing, transport, meals and overtime? Write the answer in the contract.
- What happens if a worker is absent or is not right for the work? How long a replacement takes, and how it is done.
- How is the fee calculated, and when is it paid? And is it tied to an attendance record signed by both sides?
If the provider dodges the documentation question in particular, that alone is reason enough to stop.
Signs of a misleading ad, and how to report it on Ajeerk
- Workers “ready right now” in large numbers, with no mention at all of papers or documentation.
- A price far lower than what you see in similar offers, with no explanation of what it includes.
- A request for a large advance payment before any written agreement or documentation.
- Refusing to write a contract, or a contract in the name of a party other than the one you are dealing with.
- A profession in the ad that does not match what the advertiser offers when you ask.
If you find an ad like this on Ajeerk, press “Report this ad” on its page and choose the reason, such as “Fake or misleading ad” or “Against the regulations”. Reports go to Ajeerk’s management, which reviews them and may hide or delete the ad that breaks the rules.
How Ajeerk works
Ajeerk is a classifieds marketplace that brings many companies together, not a single leasing company. Companies post “Workers for lease” and “Lease request” ads on it for free, and no mobile numbers or emails are shown in the ads. When you press “Request contact”, the request goes to the Ajeerk team, who get in touch with both sides from Ajeerk’s unified number. The final agreement is between the two companies, and the documentation is their responsibility through the official channels. Ajeerk is not a government body, not a recruitment office and not a labor supplier, and it has no relation to the government “Ajeer” platform.