Overview
Three documents are involved. The work visa lets you enter the Kingdom to take up a job. The work permit, issued under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), authorises a non-Saudi to work. The Iqama is the residence permit.
HRSD states that a non-Saudi needs a work permit to work in the Kingdom, and sets three conditions: lawful entry with authorisation to work, the professional or academic qualifications the country needs, and a contract with an employer who takes responsibility for the worker.
A separate temporary work visa exists for short contracts. A visit or Umrah visa does not authorise employment.
Work routes
| Route | Who it is for | Job offer or sponsor needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Work visa with work permit and Iqama | Employees hired on a standard employment contract | Yes. The employer issues the visa through Qiwa |
| Temporary work visa | Short-term contracts of 3 months or less | Yes. It does not need a work permit or residency |
| Temporary work visa for Hajj and Umrah | Seasonal work for the Hajj and Umrah seasons | Yes |
Work permits are also classified by skill: high-skilled, skilled and basic. The high-skilled level depends on occupation group, a minimum wage set by the Ministry, professional accreditation and a points system based on education, experience and wage.
Eligibility
Work visa, work permit and Iqama
- A contract with a Saudi employer, who is responsible for you.
- The professional or academic qualifications required for the job.
- Lawful entry on a visa that authorises work.
- For covered occupations, a completed professional verification of your qualifications and experience.
Temporary work visa
- A work contract of 3 months or less with a Saudi establishment.
- Issued by the employer through Qiwa.
High-skilled work permit classification
- An occupation in the specified groups.
- A wage at or above the Ministry’s threshold.
- Professional accreditation requirements met.
- Enough points for education, experience and wage.
Job offer and sponsorship
You need a job offer from an employer in Saudi Arabia before anything else: only an establishment can issue a work visa, and the work permit requires a contract under the employer’s responsibility.
Your employment contract is documented on the Qiwa platform. Check that the job title in the contract is accurate, because the work permit classification is based on it.
Who does what
Work visa applications fail most often when it is unclear who is responsible for which step. This is how the duties are split.
What the employer does
- Issue the work visa through Qiwa.
- Bear the recruitment fees and the fees for issuing and renewing the Iqama and the work permit.
- Issue your Iqama through the Muqeem platform after you arrive.
- Document your employment contract on Qiwa.
- Renew the work permit and Iqama on time.
What you do
- Hold a valid passport and the qualifications for the job.
- Complete professional verification where your occupation is covered.
- Complete the visa formalities and medical checks required before travel.
- Check your contract on Qiwa after arrival.
- For ECR passports: get emigration clearance in India before departure.
Documents
Common documents
- Valid passport
- Signed employment contract with the Saudi employer
- Educational and professional certificates for the role
- Professional verification result, where your occupation is covered
- Medical report required for the visa
- For ECR passport holders: emigration clearance obtained through the eMigrate system before departure
Route-specific documents
| Route or case | Additional documents |
|---|---|
| High-skilled classification | Evidence of education, experience and wage used for the points assessment |
| Temporary work visa | The short-term work contract of 3 months or less |
For photo sizes and background rules, see our visa photo requirements tool.
How to apply
Accept a job offer from a Saudi employer and agree the contract terms.
Complete professional verification if your occupation is covered. HRSD says the process is automated and takes no more than 15 days.
The employer issues your work visa through Qiwa.
Complete the visa stamping formalities and medical checks for the Saudi mission in India.
If your passport carries an Emigration Check Required (ECR) endorsement, obtain emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants through India’s eMigrate system before you fly. This applies to employment in all 18 ECR countries, which include Saudi Arabia.
Travel to Saudi Arabia. The employer issues your Iqama through Muqeem and your work permit.
Confirm that your contract is documented on Qiwa and matches what you agreed.
Fees
| Fee | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit service fee | SAR 100 | The HRSD service fee for issuing or renewing the work licence. Borne by the employer |
| Recruitment, Iqama and work permit fees | Not confirmed here | HRSD states the employer bears these fees |
| Work visa fee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Not confirmed here | The Ministry provides an online fee query service |
HRSD is explicit that the employer bears the cost of recruiting non-Saudi workers and of issuing and renewing the Iqama and work permit. Saudi portals refused our connection, so we could not read the current amounts and give only the figure quoted on the official work licence page.
Processing time
| Stage or route | Official timeframe |
|---|---|
| Professional verification | No more than 15 days, according to HRSD |
| Work visa, Iqama and work permit | Not published |
Total time depends on the employer’s visa allocation, your verification and medical results, and the Saudi mission.
Validity and renewal
| Route | Validity | Renewal and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit and Iqama | Set by the permit; not confirmed here | Renewed by the employer |
| Temporary work visa | Contracts of 3 months or less | No work permit or residency required |
Family and job changes
Dependants
We could not confirm the current conditions for bringing family members from an official page. Ask your employer and check the Saudi interior ministry’s Absher services before you plan.
Changing employers
HRSD provides a service for transferring an expatriate worker between establishments, and a separate service for changing a worker’s profession. Both are handled through the official platforms rather than by the worker alone.
We could not read the current transfer conditions, so confirm them on Qiwa before you resign or accept a new offer.
Common mistakes
- Travelling on a visit or Umrah visa to take up a job.
- Starting the visa process before completing professional verification for a covered occupation.
- Accepting a contract whose job title or wage differs from what is documented on Qiwa.
- Paying for recruitment, Iqama or work permit fees that the employer is required to bear.
- Leaving India without emigration clearance when your passport has an ECR endorsement.
- Relying on an agent who is not a registered recruiting agent in India.
How we can help
My Visa Assistance provides visa information, document checklists and application support. For a work visa or permit, that means:
- An assessment call to identify which route fits your job offer and profile.
- A personalised document checklist for that route.
- Help completing the application forms and booking appointments.
- A review of your file before you submit it.
What we do not do: we are not a recruitment agency or a registered recruiting agent, we do not arrange jobs or employer sponsorship, and we cannot guarantee approval. Decisions are made only by the government authorities.
Send us an enquiry or call +91 85518 05523.
FAQs
The employer. Saudi employers issue work visas electronically through the Qiwa platform, and the work permit requires a contract with an employer who is responsible for the worker.
The employer. HRSD states that employers bear the fees for recruiting non-Saudi workers and for issuing and renewing the residence permit (Iqama) and the work permit.
It is an HRSD service that checks the qualifications and work experience of expatriate workers before they arrive. India is one of the five countries covered in the first phase, and HRSD says verification takes no more than 15 days.
The work visa lets you enter Saudi Arabia for a job. The work permit authorises a non-Saudi to work. The Iqama is your residence permit, issued by the employer through the Muqeem platform.
Yes. The temporary work visa is for contracts of 3 months or less and does not need a work permit or residency. Employers issue it through Qiwa.
HRSD offers a service to transfer an expatriate worker between establishments. We could not confirm the current conditions, so check them on Qiwa before you act.
Yes, if your passport has an Emigration Check Required (ECR) endorsement. India’s Ministry of External Affairs lists Saudi Arabia among the 18 ECR countries, and ECR passport holders going there for employment need emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants through the eMigrate system. Passports without the ECR endorsement do not need it.
Official sources
Last verified: . The facts on this page come from these official pages. Immigration rules, fees and timeframes change, so confirm them before you apply.
- Qiwa: work permits for non-Saudis
- HRSD: issue and renew work licence
- Qiwa: how to issue temporary work visas
- HRSD: first phase of the professional verification service
- HRSD: guidelines for classification of work permits by skill categories
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia: e-services
- Ministry of External Affairs, India: emigration abroad for employment
What we could not verify
- Saudi government portals refused our connection, so this page relies on what their pages state in search results.
- Visa, Iqama and work permit fee amounts, validity periods, transfer conditions and family rules were not confirmed.