The State Commissioners Authority at the State Council recommended annulling the Ministry of Labor’s ban on Egyptian women’s work abroad in restaurants, cafes, and domestic service, citing constitutional violations and gender discrimination.

The recommendation was issued in Case No. 45727, filed by lawyer Hany Sameh alongside an affected citizen. The Administrative Court has adjourned the lawsuit to October 17 for review and the submission of legal memoranda.

According to the commissioners’ report, the contested decision creates an unjustified distinction between men and women in overseas employment opportunities, constituting unconstitutional discrimination.

The report emphasized that the directive violates constitutional guarantees of equality, equal opportunity, and the right to work enshrined the Constitution and Labor Law No. 14 of 2025.

The challenged measure stems from an official directive issued by the Minister of Labor in April 2026, which barred employment agencies from securing work permits for Egyptian women in overseas food and beverage outlets, as well as domestic households.

The Ministry of Labor previously issued binding instructions to private recruitment agencies, citing monitoring reports from the labor representation office in Riyadh intended to regulate overseas labor markets and protect female workers.