Temporary Work Visit Visa for Short-Term Work Introduced
February 24, 2021
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At a Glance
- The Saudi Arabian government has introduced a short-term work visa, the Temporary Work Visit Visa, for foreign nationals conducting work. It is expected that successful applicants will receive a multiple-entry visa valid for one year, which permits the holder to conduct work for a visa sponsoring entity for up to 90 days in a one-year period.
- This visa type fills the void in short-term work authorization options in Saudi Arabia that was created when the Work Visit and Commercial Visit Visas were eliminated as separate visa categories in 2019.
- As a result, employers can again send foreign nationals for short-term work assignments to Saudi Arabia.
The situation
The Saudi Arabian government has introduced a short-term work visa, the Temporary Work Visit Visa (TWVV).
A closer look
- Employer eligibility. To qualify for the new visa quota, employers must:
- meet their prescribed Saudization ratios;
- be classified at least as “medium-green” in the Nitaqat scheme;
- comply with the Wages Protection System’s obligations; and
- ensure that their entire foreign employee population has valid work authorizations.
- Employer quota process. Eligible employers obtain a visa quota through the online Qiwa portal by purchasing one of the available packages of one to 50 visas. Once the visa quota is purchased, the employer must allocate each unit to an individual visa applicant.
- Employer quota validity. The visa quota is valid for one year from the date of purchase. It cannot be transferred to another entity. Unused visas can be cancelled and re-allocated to the employer’s overall visa quota balance.
- Validity of Temporary Work Visit Visa. The TWVV is expected to be a multiple-entry visa valid for one year, and allows hands-on work activities for up to 90 days for the sponsoring entity.
- Application process. Although the TWVV quota is already available to eligible employers, applicants must obtain their visa sticker from the relevant Saudi consular post or an authorized visa agent abroad, which may be unavailable due to pandemic-related restrictions, which can be found on Fragomen’s dedicated COVID-19 website.
Background
In October 2019, the Saudi Arabian government unexpectedly made changes to the business visa scheme by eliminating the Work and Commercial Visit Visa as a separate category. Previously, Work Visit Visas had been granted to foreign nationals engaging in technical, hands-on activities for 30 or 90 days. The Work Visit Visa and the Commercial Visit Visa were replaced with a Uniform Visit Visa for Business, which effectively prevented foreign nationals from conducting activities that were permitted under the previous Work Visit Visa category, and left employers without an option for hiring foreign nationals for short-term work.
Impact
Employers can again hire foreign nationals for short-term work activities in Saudi Arabia.
Looking ahead
It is expected that many employers will take advantage of this new program, as a replacement of short-term work visa was urgently needed to cater to the needs of businesses seeking a compliant solution for short-term work assignments.
More foreign national-friendly programs are expected in Saudi Arabia in the future, as additional foreign labor will be needed to fill positions in the NEOM – a cross-border city in northwest Saudi Arabia that is planned to be built by 2025, that will connect Saudi Arabia with bordering countries and serve as an innovation incubator, tourist destination and a model of sustainable and data-driven living for the world.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
