How to Obtain a Saudi Arabia Work Visa in 2023: A Complete Guide

Saudi Arabia is one of the most appealing destinations for foreign workers( work Visa) due to its high salaries and tax-free arrangements. Working in Saudi Arabia is particularly appealing for those in fields such as construction, engineering, IT, and many others. However, if you want to live and work in Saudi Arabia, it is crucial to learn how to obtain a Saudi work visa and residency permit.

What is a Saudi Arabia work visa?

A Saudi Arabia work or employment visa is a necessary document for all foreign residents wishing to work in Saudi Arabia. The employer and company are responsible for funding Saudi work visas for their employees. This means that sponsors can be a Saudi corporation, an individual, or a foreign organization with the necessary permits to conduct business in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia work visa requirements :

To secure a visa, employees require a sponsor in Saudi Arabia. Although the application process is primarily handled by the sponsoring employer, the prospective employee is still required to submit all necessary documentation. These include a passport that will be valid for the duration of employment, a passport-sized colored photograph, a completed visa application, three copies of a signed medical report, a letter of employment from the sponsoring company in Saudi Arabia that must be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi Chamber of Commerce, a signed copy of the employment contract, a certified copy of the applicant’s university diploma, which must be validated by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, and a police report.

Age requirement for Saudi Arabia work visa

Those between the ages of 18 and 60, physically fit, with the professional or academic credentials required by the Kingdom, or falling under the category of employees required by the Kingdom, may seek employment in Saudi Arabia.

How to apply for a Saudi Arabia work visa?

The employer must be the one to make the Saudi work visa application. To obtain a visa and residency permit in Saudi Arabia, the following steps must be taken:

• The sponsoring employer must register with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior.
• The Ministry will open an immigration file with information regarding all of the employer’s expatriate workers.
• The employer will lodge an application for a work visa with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Labor.
• Once the application is approved, the Ministry of Labor will notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Within two weeks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue a visa authorization number.
• The employee will submit their employment visa application to the relevant Saudi embassy along with the documents listed above.
• The embassy will issue the visa within one to three weeks, at which point the employee can travel to Saudi Arabia.
• In Saudi Arabia, the employee must apply for a residency permit, or Iqama, through the Ministry of Labor.
• The Ministry of Labor will forward the approved application to the Ministry of Interior, where the Iqama will be issued through the Directorate General for Passports.

Employees should carry their Iqama at all times to prove that they are legally allowed to live and work in Saudi Arabia. If the employee would like to travel in and out of Saudi Arabia during the duration of their employment, they will need to apply for an exit/re-entry permit through the Ministry of Interior. This permit is generally issued within one week.

Checking your Saudi Arabia work visa

There are several ways of checking your Saudi work visa validity. You can easily check your visa status online.

Saudi work visa check Muqeem – by Iqama or visa number

The Muqeem portal allows visitors to check the validity of their visa through their visa number but residents can also check their visa validity by providing their Iqama number or visa number.

Saudi Arabia work visa fees :

The cost of obtaining a work visa in Saudi Arabia depends on the percentage of Saudi nationals in the company sponsoring you. If more than 50% of the workforce is made up of Saudi nationals, then the total cost is SAR 7,200. This includes SAR 750 for an Iqama, while the work visa and insurance fees are SAR 6,000 and SAR 450 respectively.

However, if your sponsoring company has more than 50% foreign nationals, the total cost will be SAR 8,400, with the work visa fee alone being SAR 7,200.

Make sure to keep this information in mind while planning your move to Saudi Arabia.

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