Visa & residency
Saudi Arabia Work Visa (2026): Steps, Documents & Iqama (resident ID)
How to get a work visa and residency in Saudi Arabia: the sponsorship steps, documents, medical test, family sponsorship and the rules for changing jobs.
Quick answer
How to get a work visa in Saudi Arabia
Get a job offer
The employer agrees your job title, wage, allowances and contract term. Your contract must follow the unified contract form and be documented on Qiwa.
Employer issues the work visa
The employer requests an instant work visa on Qiwa. Its commercial registration must be valid and it must meet wage protection rules. Establishments in the low green or red Nitaqat bands cannot request new visas.
Professional accreditation if required
Depending on your job and country, you may need HRSD's Professional Accreditation: a skills exam or verification of your qualifications and experience. HRSD says verification takes no more than 15 days.
Visa stamping in your country
Your visa application is processed through Saudi missions and their accredited service offices abroad, which enter your data in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system.
Arrive, medical check and biometrics
After arrival you register fingerprints and a photo, pass a medical exam at an approved centre and get health insurance. These are conditions for issuing the iqama.
Work permit and iqama
The employer must issue your work permit on Qiwa within 90 days of your entry, then issue your iqama through Muqeem using your border number.
Accept your contract and set up Absher
Log in to Qiwa with your iqama number and accept the contract, then register on Absher to manage your iqama and travel visas.
Documents you will usually need
- Valid passport (it must stay valid for iqama issuance and travel visas)
- Educational certificates and experience letters for professional verification, where required
- Signed job offer or employment contract
- Medical fitness result from an approved medical centre
- Fingerprints and photo, taken after arrival
Key rules
- Permit
- Work visa, then a work permit and iqama (residence permit)
- Residence ID
- Iqama (resident ID)
- Medical test
- To issue your iqama you must register and pass a medical exam at an approved medical centre, and your employer must provide health insurance for you and any family members living with you. Workers must also take medical checks the employer requests before or during employment to confirm they are free of occupational or communicable diseases.
- Processing time
- There is no official end-to-end processing time. Officially: Qiwa issues work visas instantly to eligible employers, professional verification takes up to 15 days, and the employer must issue your work permit within 90 days of your arrival.
- Sponsoring family
- Residents can apply for residence visas for accompanying family members through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform (fee listed by HRSD: SAR 200). A family visit visa for first-degree relatives (parents, spouse, children) needs a valid work iqama, not a dependant iqama, and costs SAR 200. Once family members arrive, you issue and renew their iqamas yourself on Absher. Your spouse on a dependant iqama can work in the health and education sectors through the Ajeer platform.
- Changing jobs
- Under the Labor Reform Initiative of March 2021, a private-sector worker can move to a new employer through Qiwa without the current employer's approval after completing 12 months with that employer (counted from entry to Saudi Arabia). The new employer sends an offer on Qiwa, you accept it, the current employer is notified and a new work permit is issued. Al Tamimi reported a minimum notice of 90 days when moving during the contract. You cannot transfer to an employer in the red Nitaqat band. HRSD also allows transfer without consent if your employer repeatedly fails to attend a labor dispute settlement session.
Other residency routes
Premium Residency
A residence that does not need an employer sponsor. Holders can work in private-sector firms and move between them, exit and re-enter freely and sponsor family visits. The original products are limited duration (SAR 100,000 a year) and unlimited duration (SAR 800,000 once). In 2024 five more were added: Exceptional Competence, Talent, Business Investor, Entrepreneur and Real Estate Owner.
Temporary work visas
Employers can also issue temporary work visas on Qiwa, including for Hajj and Umrah season services, for short-term jobs.
Official portals
Sources:hrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.sahrsd.gov.safragomen.comtamimi.comarabnews.comsaudipedia.comsaudipedia.comsaudipedia.com
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for my visa, work permit and iqama?
Your employer. HRSD lists the employer as responsible for recruitment fees, residence and work permit fees and renewals, profession change fees, exit and re-entry fees, transfer fees for incoming workers and your return ticket when the contract ends.
How long does my employer have to issue my iqama?
The work permit must be issued on Qiwa within 90 days of your entry into Saudi Arabia. The iqama is issued through Muqeem after the work permit, medical exam, biometrics and health insurance are done.
Can I do a second job or freelance on the side?
No. You may only work for the employer named on your work permit and only in the profession on that permit, unless the change goes through official procedures. Both you and the employer can be penalised.
What is the new skill classification of work permits?
Since July 2025, HRSD classifies expatriate work permits into three levels: high-skill, skilled and basic. It started with existing workers in June 2025 and applied to new arrivals from 1 July 2025.
Can I change jobs without my employer's permission?
Yes, through Qiwa, once you have completed 12 months with your current employer, and subject to notice and the rules of the 2021 Labor Reform Initiative. Your new employer starts the request by sending you a job offer on Qiwa.
Last reviewed: 17 Oct 2026. General information based on the official sources cited - not legal advice. Check with the relevant authority before acting.
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