The reality of life for migrant workers in Saudi Arabia has been thrust into the global spotlight with the release of the powerful film The Goat Life, which reveals the brutal conditions faced by laborers trapped under the kingdom’s kafala (sponsorship) system. Shortly after the film’s release, Carrefour, a French retail giant operating in Saudi Arabia, announced a review of its practices following worker complaints of abuse, exploitation, and wage theft. These revelations underscore the systemic issues plaguing migrant workers in the kingdom, where laborers face widespread exploitation and restricted freedoms.
Carrefour Investigation: Widespread Abuse Revealed
Carrefour’s internal investigation comes on the heels of reports that migrant employees in its Saudi branches face severe mistreatment. Workers allege they were deceived by recruitment agents, forced to work 60 hours per week or more, and often denied weekly rest days in violation of Saudi labor laws, which cap the weekly work limit at 48 hours. These workers claim they’ve been subjected to wage withholding and unfair treatment by their managers, echoing the broader issues of exploitation that The Goat Life has brought to the surface.
Carrefour’s investigation into these abuses points to the challenges migrant workers face under the kafala system, which grants employers significant control over foreign employees, often resulting in cases of forced labor and financial exploitation. For many, these conditions have turned Saudi Arabia, a land of vast oil wealth, into a place of hardship and deprivation.
The Goat Life: A Shocking Glimpse into Kafala’s Reality
The release of The Goat Life, an Indian film that documents the struggles of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, has stirred a fierce debate about human rights abuses in the kingdom. The film highlights the ordeals of migrant laborers who find themselves trapped by the kafala system—facing confiscated passports, forced confinement, abusive treatment, and endless working hours with no protections or social safety nets. Many workers endure what amounts to modern-day servitude, with no means to escape.
The film has resonated widely in the Middle East, intensifying calls for the abolition of the kafala system. Originally introduced as a colonial-era practice to manage migrant labor, kafala has been heavily criticized as a form of modern slavery, where foreign workers are wholly dependent on their employers for legal residency, employment rights, and mobility.
A Call for Reform Amid Global Outcry
Carrefour’s labor issues and the chilling scenes from The Goat Life have fueled international criticism of Saudi Arabia’s labor practices. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other organizations have long called for the kingdom to reform the kafala system, citing cases of physical and sexual abuse, particularly among domestic workers. Under the current system, employers can confiscate passports, control wages, and exert dominance over workers, leaving them vulnerable and often undocumented if they attempt to flee abusive conditions.
While the Saudi government has made recent moves to introduce minor reforms to the kafala system, critics argue that these measures do not go far enough to protect the basic rights of workers. For many, The Goat Life serves as a painful reminder that more substantial changes are urgently needed to protect millions of vulnerable workers who are integral to the kingdom’s economy but often treated as disposable.
