Saudi Arabia extends work permit adjustment deadline for expats
The new deadlines apply to both employers and employees
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has just announced that the deadline for correcting the status of work permits for some expatriate workers has been extended. This is everything you need to know about the Saudi Arabia work permit adjustment deadline for expats.
Giving employers and employees more time to complete regulatory procedures, the Saudi Arabia work permit adjustment deadline for expats has been extended until the end of this year.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said the extension applies to expatriate workers whose work permits expired more than 12 months ago, as well as workers who have not been issued work permits more than six months after joining an establishment, according to Gulf News.
The ministry said the move was part of efforts to strengthen compliance with labour regulations, protect the rights of all parties to employment contracts and enable establishments and workers to regularise their status within the approved timeframe.
The ministry urged employers and workers to renew or issue work permits before the deadline expires, warning that failure to correct violations during the grace period would lead to the enforcement of prescribed legal measures.
New work permit rules
It has also been revealed that premium residency holders now need a special work permit. Announced by Okaz and reported by Saudi Gazette, Qiwa, the digital labour platform operated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said holders of Premium Residency are required to obtain a dedicated work permit available through the platform at a fee of SAR100. The platform said subscription fees vary according to the size of each establishment and are calculated based on the total number of employees registered under the entity’s unified number.
