Dubai: Households hiring maids in the UAE need a huge sum of money — not only for the maid’s salary and UAE immigration deposit – but also to cover the security deposits required by the labour-sending country.

Officials from various embassies of labour-sending countries said they require security deposits so maids can have a sense of protection should something go wrong during their employment.

For maids coming from India, for example, sponsors are required to pay a refundable security deposit of Dh9,200 and “very minimal attestation fees”.

“The money will be returned to the sponsor if the maid finishes her contract and goes back to India. If the maid changes her employer, then the new employer will have to give his security deposit and the previous employer’s deposit will be refunded,” Anand Bardhan, Counsellor for Community Affairs that handles maid deployment at the Indian embassy, told Gulf News.

The rule is only applicable to Indian women holders of ECR (Emigration Check Required) passports who work as housemaids.

For those coming from Nepal, a refundable security deposit amounting to Dh5,000 plus a non-refundable service charge of Dh300 are required. Heera Devi Paudel Ghimire, labour attaché of Nepal, said the deposit will be given back to the employer once the maid’s contract is terminated and when she flies back to Nepal.

“The employer needs to show us the ticket copy and cancellation papers. Without the exit clearance, we cannot give it back. If the maid runs away, we cannot give back the deposit unless the maid is located and the [formalities are completed],” she said, adding Nepal temporarily stopped sending maids to the UAE three months ago.

The Sri Lankan government mandates a refundable deposit of $1,000 (Dh3,675) for private households in need of their nationals to work as maids. They also need to pay Dh185 as registration fees.

D.M. Karunarathna, First Secretary for Labour at the Sri Lankan embassy, said: “This deposit is paid to the foreign employment bureau in Sri Lanka before a maid comes to the UAE. A non-refundable deposit of $400 is in place supposing something happens to the maids — if she meets an accident or does not get her salary — that amount will be her protection,” Karunarathna said.

But not all countries that send maids to the UAE have the same policy. The Philippine, Bangladesh, and Indonesian missions do not require security deposits, only processing or documentary fees ranging between Dh40 and Dh74.

A.K.M. Misanur Rahman, from the Labour Wing of the consulate of Bangladesh, said no such deposits are required.

“The only mandatory requirement for maids in Dubai and the northern emirates is for them to be given life insurance policies for two years costing Dh200. This acts as their protection should something happen to them while employed overseas.”

Currently, the Philippines and Indonesia are not sending maids to the UAE.