There are multiple possible reasons for why a candidate is unable to provide a reference.
In many cases, the candidate is currently working for a family who would prefer to keep the candidate for another contract cycle, rather then letting her go, even if she expresses a wish to move on. This can cause some friction when it comes to obtaining a recommendation.
In other cases, there are privacy concerns from families, or an unwillingness to interact with new potential employers.
And thirdly, there might be valid reasons for not having a recommendation, such as a conflict between an employer and a helper, where the family simply cannot give a recommendation in good faith.
If you have found a great candidate without any recommendation, you can always ask her to provide recommendations for previous families (that she worked for earlier in her career).
The last point we want to make on references: Please note that, unfortunately, we have heard stories in the UAE about candidates giving false references, e.g. using a friend to pretend to be a previous employer. So please make sure you talk to the reference yourself, to make sure you are speaking to someone who actually employed the candidate.
