Is it permissible in Sharia for a foreign worker to remain under the sponsorship of an individual without working for him, in exchange for an annual sum of money paid to the sponsor, after the worker refused to work for him, or transfer to another sponsor, or return to his country? And what is the correct Sharia-compliant action in this case?

Sponsorship (kafalat) means extending one's influence or interceding to keep the sponsored individual in a particular country. It is permissible for a person to provide this benefit to another without reservation, even if the sponsored individual works for someone other than the sponsor.

However, it is forbidden for the sponsor to take financial compensation in exchange for their sponsorship, because sponsorship is a contract of benevolence, not one of exchange. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Whoever intercedes for his brother with an intercession, and he is given a gift for it and accepts it, he has approached a great door from the doors of usury."

The sponsor should seek reward from Allah for this great deed, as it is among the most beloved deeds to Allah, as He Almighty said: "Whoever intercedes with a good intercession will have a share from it."

If the sponsor does not wish to extend their influence except in exchange for compensation, then they should abandon that. The only permissible compensation for them is the amount of expenses they incur, or a fair wage for their efforts.