Additional Details Released on Labor Reform Initiative for the Private Sector

Employment Sponsorship Transfer. Foreign nationals can change employers without their current sponsor’s consent if their employment contract has ended and if they have completed a minimum one year of service, starting from their date of entry to Saudi Arabia.

If these conditions are not met, the individual can still change employers but must obtain approval from the current sponsor; details on exemptions from this requirement can be found here.

Additional requirements. To benefit from the employment sponsorship transfer, employers must meet the prescribed Saudization and Wages Protection System requirements and must comply with the electronic contract registration and self-evaluation programs.

Notice process. The sponsorship transfer process must be initiated by the new employer, who extends a job offer to the foreign national through the Qiwa portal. If the foreign national accepts the job offer, the current employer is notified and the prescribed notice period begins. The sponsorship notice process is complete after the notice period has ended. Employers can reduce the duration of the notice period if both parties agree. If the foreign national rejects the job offer, the transaction is automatically canceled.

• Employees will have greater flexibility in changing employers in Saudi Arabia. The previous rule always required foreign nationals to obtain consent from their current sponsor, which may have deterred some foreign employees from accepting employment in the country.
• This rule should also benefit employers since recruitment is less expensive from within Saudi Arabia than from abroad.
• The new rules should also decrease the number of disputes between employers and workers.

Exit Re-Entry Visa. Foreign nationals no longer need to obtain permission from their employer before traveling internationally. This does not apply to domestic household workers.

Process. Foreign nationals can obtain Exit-Re-Entry Visas for themselves and their dependents through the Absher platform. To initiate the process, all applicants must be in Saudi Arabia, their residence permit must not be expired, their passport must be valid for at least 60 days, and there must be no traffic violations recorded under the applicant’s name. Once the request has been registered, the employer will receive a text message and will have 10 days to raise any objections toward the request with the MHRSD. However, the employer cannot revoke the request directly.

Upon approval, the foreign national must complete the transaction within five days. A single-use Exit Re-Entry Visa valid for 30 days will then be issued. The visa is extendable only by the employer who can also request that the visa have a longer validity and be for multiple entries.

Foreign employees can more easily travel internationally and for longer periods of time since they no longer need to undergo the cumbersome process of obtaining permission from their employer each time they seek to leave. However, foreign nationals should be aware that there are still some benefits to obtaining approval from their employers, such as being able to extend the visa, having it issued with a longer validity or being a multiple-entry visa.

Final Exit Permit. Foreign nationals no longer need to obtain permission from their employer before their final exit from Saudi Arabia. This does not apply to domestic household workers.

Process. The process for obtaining the Final Exit Permit is the same as for obtaining the Exit Re-Entry Visa listed above.

Upon approval, the individual must complete the transaction within five days. A Final Exit Permit valid for 15 days will then be issued, which is shorter than the 60 days if the permit is issued on the employer’s request.