Saudi Arabia: Premium Residency Holders Now Require Work Permits

Premium Residency holders must now obtain a separate work permit before commencing employment. Previously, Premium Residency holders were eligible to work without a separate work permit.  Work permit applications are made through the Qiwa platform. As was the case previously, Premium Residency holders must continue to have their employment contract registered on Qiwa and be registered with General Organization for Social Insurance. The situation for existing Premium Residency holders remains unclear including whether they must obtain a work permit and, if so, the deadline by which one must be obtained. Employers will need to update onboarding processes to ensure that any employees who are Premium Residency holders remain compliant with work permit rules.  

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.