Saudi Arabia Changes Work Permit Rules, Announces New Visa Limits for Businesses

• Saudi Arabia has introduced new work visa limits for businesses, with the rules varying depending on how long a company has been operating
• Newly established businesses are restricted to just five work visas, while older companies can access significantly more
• Foreign workers targeting Saudi job opportunities may need to verify a potential employer's operating history and visa quota before accepting any offer

Saudi Arabia has overhauled its work visa framework, introducing caps that differ based on a company's operating history in a move that marks a significant shift from the previous uniform system.

Under the revised rules, businesses that have been operating for less than two years are limited to a maximum of five work visas.

Companies that have crossed the two-year threshold are permitted to access up to 50 visas, submittable through a single application or multiple submissions filed within the same week.

The changes replace an earlier framework that applied the same rules to all employers regardless of how long they had been in business.

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Rules for establishing programme participants

Companies enrolled in Saudi Arabia's Establishing Programme are subject to a separate set of conditions.

These businesses begin with a quota of just two work visas, with that figure rising as they progress through the programme and improve their standing under the Nitaqat classification system.

Nitaqat is the Saudi government's employer ranking mechanism, which grades companies based on the proportion of Saudi nationals within their workforce. A higher Nitaqat score signals stronger compliance with the kingdom's Saudisation targets and unlocks greater access to foreign labour.

What the changes mean for foreign workers

The revised rules carry practical consequences for foreign nationals seeking employment in Saudi Arabia, particularly those from countries with large Gulf-bound workforces such as India.

A newer company, restricted to five work visa slots in total, has limited capacity to complete a hiring process.

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A more established employer, on the other hand, can recruit up to 50 workers from abroad, offering greater certainty to prospective hires throughout the recruitment process.

Experts advise foreign workers to go beyond salary and job title when assessing a Saudi job offer. Checking a prospective employer's operating history, Nitaqat classification, and remaining visa quota is now considered critical, especially before paying any recruitment fees or signing a contract.

The broader intent of the reform appears to be linking access to foreign labour directly to a company's stage of development, giving older and better-classified businesses more room to recruit internationally while placing tighter controls on newer enterprises.

Saudi Arabia deport 14,000 foreigners

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that Saudi Arabia had arrested 14,434 people and deported 14,905 foreign nationals.

This happened during a seven-day crackdown on immigration violations conducted between August 20 and 26, the Ministry of Interior announced.

The joint enforcement campaign was carried out in coordination with relevant government agencies across the Kingdom.

Source: YEN.com.gh