Saudi Arabia/Pakistan: Professional Verification Scheme Now Applies to Select Pakistani Visa Applicants

• Verification details. Pakistani nationals in the following professions must pass theoretical and practical tests in order to obtain an internationally recognized certification before they can apply for a work entry visa for Saudi Arabia: mason; steel fixers; automobile technicians; electronic technicians; electricians; civil technicians; metallurgists; and metal casters. The certification has a five-year validity.
• Test details. The test can be taken in one of the accredited assessment centers; completion time is approximately three hours. The test registration fee is PKR 4,000 (USD 18) per person, and the certification costs USD 25.

• Limiting candidate pools. The expansion of the Professional Verification scheme may create pressure for Saudi employers to recruit Pakistani nationals, which may limit the pool of available workforce candidates.
• Increased costs and timeframes.  Due to this additional step in the recruitment process, the overall process timeframe and employment costs are expected to increase for affected applicants. The government has not yet announced if employers are responsible for the examination fees, but this can be assumed.

• Purpose of verification system. This program is meant to allow the government to verify whether foreign nationals have the required skills to conduct work in Saudi Arabia by testing their practical and theoretical knowledge through mandatory exams. It is also intended to enhance government regulation of foreign workers, to limit the participation of unskilled workers in the labor market.
• Phases explained. The initial phase of this scheme was focused on foreign nationals who were already working in Saudi Arabia. The second phase of the scheme now focuses on foreign nationals not yet in Saudi Arabia who are seeking to apply for a work entry visa.

The Saudi government is expected to gradually apply the Professional Verification scheme to nationals of other labor-exporting countries, who will be required to undergo skills verification in their home country.