Saudi Arabia Iqama and Visa Rules: What Changed in Q1 2026

Saudi Arabia introduced major residency and labor reforms in Q1 2026, including a new 5-year physical Iqama (Resident ID), skill-based work permit classifications, emergency visa extensions, and expanded labor mobility rules. These changes increase digital compliance requirements, requiring HR teams and expatriate employees to closely monitor Iqama validity, profession classification, and visa status.

Saudi Arabia has moved faster than most realise on residency reform in the first quarter of 2026. From a new 5-year physical resident ID card to skill-based work permit classifications, a self-deportation platform, and emergency visa extensions linked to regional supply disruptions, the rules governing expatriate status in the Kingdom have shifted meaningfully since January. For HR teams, payroll managers, and employees managing their own residency, staying on top of these changes is no longer optional, it is a compliance requirement backed by tighter digital enforcement.

This article covers everything that has changed in Q1 2026, who it affects, and what employers and employees need to do now.

See also: Saudi Arabia Proposes New Corporate Rules for Special Economic Zones

The 5-year physical Resident ID: What it means in practice

One of the most visible changes of 2026 is the introduction of the five-year physical Resident Identity card, also known as the Muqeem card. Previously, the physical card was reissued every time the residency permit was renewed, typically annually. Under the new system, a single card is issued and remains physically valid for five years from the date of issuance.

What has not changed is the underlying residency status, which must still be renewed annually (or biennially in some cases) via the Absher or Muqeem platforms. The card and the status are now decoupled: the physical card stays in your wallet for five years, while the digital status is managed in the background by the employer and the employee together.

Practically, this means:

• Employers no longer need to collect and reissue physical cards each renewal cycle. The renewal happens entirely digitally on Absher Business or Muqeem.
• Employees must still ensure their residency status is active, even if their card has not expired. An active-looking card does not guarantee active residency.
• Card delivery is now handled by Wasil postal service and sent directly to the registered National Address. There is no walk-in collection option, making an up-to-date National Address registration essential.

HR departments should update their onboarding checklists to capture the National Address of every new hire, and run a one-off review to confirm existing employees have a registered address on file.

Skill-based work permit classifications: In force since July 2025, fully active in 2026

The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) introduced a new skills-based work permit framework effective from July 2025, which is now fully operational across the workforce in 2026. This replaces the previous professional/non-professional binary with three structured categories:

Work permits are now issued and renewed against five core criteria: educational background, work experience, professional skills, wage level, and age. The Iqama’s registered profession, shown in the “Mehna” field on the card, or visible via the Qiwa or Absher dashboards, must accurately reflect the actual role being performed. A mismatch between the registered profession and the actual job is now an active enforcement risk.

What employers must do:

• Audit the registered professions of all expatriate staff against their actual job descriptions.
• Initiate any required profession corrections through the Qiwa platform before the next renewal cycle.
• Ensure all employment contracts are registered on Qiwa and that the job title and classification align with the HRSD’s Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations (SSCO).

Monthly HR reconciliation: Now a legal obligation

With enforcement now operating in near real-time via Qiwa and Absher, monthly reconciliations of Iqama validity, job role alignment and sponsorship status have become an operational necessity, not just a best practice, or any company with a sizeable expatriate workforce in Saudi Arabia. Each reconciliation should confirm:

• Iqama validity dates for every sponsored employee;
• Visa type and job role alignment;
• Sponsorship status and any pending transfers; and
• Compliance with Nitaqat (Saudization) quotas.

HR platforms must be configured with automated alerts for upcoming Iqama expiry. Allowing a sponsored employee’s residency to lapse creates liability for both the employer and the employee. Fines for late renewal, which must be paid in full before a new card can be issued, are structured and cumulative.

The Self-Deportation Platform: A digital exit route for irregular residents

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The Ministry of Interior (MOI) launched a Self-Deportation Platform in late 2025, which is now widely in use. The platform allows individuals residing illegally, whether due to expired visas, expired Iqamas, or unauthorised overstays, to complete exit formalities digitally and leave voluntarily, rather than being processed through the traditional detention-to-removal pathway.

This matters for employers because secondary liability remains an active enforcement principle. Companies found to be employing or facilitating the stay of individuals with irregular status are subject to penalties alongside the individual. The existence of the self-deportation platform is partly designed to reduce the administrative burden on authorities, but it also increases the expectation that violations will be self-reported and resolved proactively.

Emergency visa extensions: The 18 April 2026 deadline

In one of the most time-sensitive developments of the quarter, on 25 March, 2026, the Saudi government announced a set of emergency provisions for visa holders who were unable to depart Saudi Arabia due to regional supply and transport disruptions. These provisions apply to holders of:

• Visit visas (all types);
• Umrah visas;
• Transit visas; and
• Final exit visas.

The rules apply to visas that expired on or after February 25, 2026. Affected individuals have two options:

• Option 1 — Extend the visa: The host or sponsor must apply for a 30-day extension via the Absher platform, paying the applicable government fees. Extensions are available until 18 April 2026.
• Option 2 — Exit without penalty: Affected visa holders can depart through any international airport or land border without extending the visa, paying extension fees, or incurring overstay fines — provided they leave before April 18, 2026.

After April 18, normal penalties and legal consequences will apply to anyone who has not regularised their status. HR teams with visiting employees, clients, or family members currently in the Kingdom under any of these visa categories should communicate this deadline urgently.

Labour mobility and the 60-day grace period

Under the Labour Relation Initiative (LRI), workers on fixed-term contracts are now entitled to a 60-day grace period, following contract expiry or termination. During this window, the employee can:

• Secure a new sponsor;
• Renew their contract with the current employer; and
• Process a final exit visa.

Automated notifications via the Qiwa platform are now issued to both employer and employee when a fixed-term contract approaches expiry. Employers should not wait for the notification — proactive renewal management remains best practice, and failure to act before the 60-day period expires transfers risk back to the employer.

For sponsorship transfers, the 2026 system allows transfers even when the employee’s Iqama has expired, provided the new employer pays any outstanding late fines and initiates the transfer through Qiwa. The transfer cost structure remains: SAR 2,000 (US$532.97) for the first transfer, SAR 4,000 (US$1,065.94) for the second, and SAR 6,000  (US$1,598.91) for the third and subsequent transfers.

Dependent work permits: New opportunities for qualified spouses and family members

A meaningful quality-of-life reform that has come into effect allows qualified dependents of expatriate workers, primarily spouses and adult children, to obtain work permits from the Ministry of HRSD. Previously, dependents on family-sponsored Iqamas were prohibited from working regardless of their professional qualifications.

Eligible dependents must apply for a separate work permit through HRSD. Once approved, the Iqama is updated to reflect employed status. The work permit fee structure mirrors that for primary expatriate employees in the private sector. Employers hiring a sponsored dependent should factor this into their Nitaqat compliance planning, as dependents hired into the private sector count within the standard expatriate quota framework.

Category-based residency and the expanded Premium Residency Program

The Saudi Premium Residency Center has expanded its offer in 2026 with several new categories designed to attract specialised talent and investors outside the traditional Kafala (employer sponsorship) framework:

• Special Talent Residency: For professionals in healthcare, science, and research;
• Gifted Residency: For individuals active in culture and sports;
• Investor/Entrepreneur Residency: For those contributing to economic activity and Vision 2030 sectors; and
• Real Estate Residency: For foreign nationals owning residential property valued at a minimum of SAR 4 million (US$1.06 million) available since January 2026.

A new permanent residency scheme was also launched via the General Directorate of Passports at a fee of SAR 4,000 (US$1,065.94). It removes the sponsorship requirement entirely and provides access to government services, banking, education, and healthcare. Target sectors include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, cardiac surgery, oncology, renewable energy, and urban planning. Applications go through the National Unified Platform for Premium Residency.

For high-value employees and senior executives that companies are trying to retain long-term in Saudi Arabia, the Premium Residency route may now be a viable alternative to the standard employer-sponsored Iqama, removing the company’s administrative liability for that individual’s residency status.

Updated fee reference: Q1 2026

Fees are subject to periodic revision. Confirm current amounts via the Qiwa dashboard before processing.

What HR and payroll teams must do this month

The cumulative effect of these changes is a significantly more automated, more closely monitored residency and employment system. Saudi authorities now have near real-time visibility into workforce compliance status via Absher, Qiwa, and Muqeem. Enforcement is not reactive, it is system-driven.

Immediate actions for HR teams:

1. Run a full workforce residency audit — confirm Iqama validity, profession codes, and Qiwa contract registrations for every sponsored employee.
2. Update National Address records for all employees to enable Wasil card delivery.
3. Configure monthly Iqama expiry alerts in your HR system, with escalation triggers at 90 days, 60 days, and 30 days before expiry.
4. Communicate the 18 April visa extension deadline to any visiting employees, guests, or family members currently in the Kingdom on visit, Umrah, or transit visas.
5. Review profession codes against actual job descriptions and correct any mismatches via Qiwa before the next renewal cycle.
6. Assess eligibility for Premium Residency for long-tenure senior staff — this can simplify compliance and improve retention.

SAR 3,75 = US$1

Managing Iqama renewals, skill classifications, Nitaqat compliance, and monthly reconciliations across a large or distributed Saudi workforce is operationally intensive. Dezshira’s HR and payroll advisory services support companies across the Gulf with end-to-end workforce compliance management, from initial Iqama applications through to sponsorship transfers, dependent work permits, and payroll alignment with the Wage Protection System (WPS).

Contact our HR & Payroll team → dubai@dezshira.com

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