Saudi Arabia Temporary Work Visa – Introduce Three-Month Temporary Work Visa

The working permit in Saudi Arabia will allow you to remain in the country and work without any legal inconvenience. To obtain it, you will need to collect the necessary documentation as well as find a Saudi resident sponsor. However, the process is simple, but it will depend on the employer who hires you.

In this article, you will learn what a visa is, what the requirements are, and what the process, verification, and fees are to obtain it. Additionally, you can find out the latest news about Saudi temporary visas.

News about work visas in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, there is a demand for qualified workers required to work in the short term. Thus, the government has launched a new Saudi Arabia temporary work visa for expatriates. Likewise, with this visa, the Saudi government seeks to accelerate the hiring processes of short-term employees in the country.

In addition, this visa includes many more types of workers who may be eligible to acquire it. Also, before the visa was for technical workers and some special designations such as engineering in particular. In general, almost all of them were for jobs in the oil area in the eastern province and worked inside and outside of it.

However, currently, the visa is available to everyone who requires it. Moreover, the old work visas were only for workers over 40 years of age, however, today it is more flexible.

Skills Verification Exam

To obtain a working permit in Saudi Arabia you must first take a skills verification exam. This test is known as Skills Verification Program or SVP which is mandatory for some categories of entry-level employment. However, local authorities intend to gradually implement this for other categories of professions as well.

Likewise, the 19 professions currently required to take this test are the following:

• Automotive electrician
• Building electrician
• Pipe fitter
• Plumber
• Welder
• Electrical transformer assembler
• Electrical panel installer
• Drilling rig electrician
• Underwater welder
• Flame cutter
• Electrical equipment installer
• Black blacksmith
• Electrical equipment installer
• Electrical cable connector
• Power line worker
• Electronic panel installer
• Electrical equipment maintenance worker.
• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning mechanic.
• Refrigeration equipment installer.

Then, when you have obtained the professional verification certificate, you can continue with your current employment. In addition, you can renew the visa you have or apply for a new one when you are looking for new jobs.

Introduction of the temporary work visa

The temporary work visa in Saudi Arabia is valid for 3 months, usable within the year in which it was issued. On the other hand, regular visas have a validity period of 2 years from their issuance. Likewise, you can extend the temporary visa for 3 months while you are in the country and it is not necessary to leave it to renew it.

Also, the visa is easy to acquire and offers many benefits to employees and contracting companies. Likewise, it attracts personnel quickly, which benefits projects that do not require permanent personnel. It is beneficial for companies located in remote areas of the country.

Additionally, you can find updated information on QIWA’s official website. Also, this website dedicates services and solutions to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development of Saudi Arabia.

What is the Saudi Arabia work visa?

The employment visa Saudi Arabia is the document that everybody needs to enter the labor field in this country. Furthermore, it is the employer who bears much of the responsibility in sponsoring work visas for their staff. Likewise, hiring can be done by an individual, a Saudi corporation, or a foreign organization licensed to work in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia Work Visa Requirements

As we have mentioned, you need a sponsor in the country to obtain a working permit in Saudi Arabia. In this case, it is the sponsoring employer who must be in charge of the visa application procedure. However, you must present all the necessary documentation for the application. Below is the list of requirements for the Saudi employment visa:

• 1 passport valid during the time of employment
• 1 passport-size color photo
• The complete visa application
• 3 copies of the signed medical report
• Employment letter from the sponsoring company in Saudi Arabia, certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi Chamber of Commerce
• 1 signed copy of the employment contract
• 1 certified copy of the university diploma of the applicant, validated by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission
• Police report

Saudi Arabia Work Visa Age Requirements

The required ages to obtain a Saudi Arabia work visa are between 18 and 60 years. However, this will depend on the applicant being in suitable physical condition to work. In addition, they must have professional or academic credentials required in the country as long as there is a shortage of residents with those credentials.

You can also obtain an employment visa if you fall within the category of required employees in Saudi Arabia.

How to apply for a visa in Saudi Arabia?

After the employer applies for the work visa Saudi, you will need to follow a few steps. Next, you will see the stages to obtain the Saudi Arabia visa and residence permit:

1. The sponsoring employer must register with the Ministry of the Interior of Saudi Arabia.
2. Then, the Ministry will open an immigration file that will have the information of all the expatriate employees.
3. The employer will apply for a work visa to the Ministry of Labor of Saudi Arabia.
4. Once the application is approved, the Ministry of Labor will notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then, over 2 weeks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue a visa authorization number.
5. The employee will then submit his or her work visa application to the relevant Saudi embassy in addition to the documents listed above.
6. The Saudi embassy will issue the visa within a period of 1 to 3 weeks, and it is at this time that the employee will be able to travel to Saudi Arabia.
7. Already in Saudi Arabia, the employee must apply for an Iqama or residence permit, or through the Ministry of Labor.
8. The Ministry of Labor will send the approved application to the Ministry of the Interior. Then, the Iqama will be issued through the General Directorate of Passports.
9. To prove that they have legal permission to live and work in Saudi Arabia, employees must wear their Iqama at all times.

If the employee requires travel within or outside the country during the period of employment, he or she will have to request an exit and entry permit. The employee must request it from the Ministry of the Interior which is the entity in charge of issuing it, one week after the request.

Checking your Saudi Arabia work visa

There are many ways to check the status of a working permit in Saudi Arabia available to you. However, below you will see the methods most used by foreigners and nationals for visa verification:

Saudi Muqueem Work Visa Verification by Iqama or Visa Number

You can check work permit in Saudi Arabia through the Muqueem web portal in a matter of minutes. Also, it is an easy process where you can use the Iqama or visa number. Furthermore, this will not require you to log in when verifying, just enter the data required by the page.

Saudi Work Visa Verification in MOFA by Passport Number

Another method to check the working permit in Saudi Arabia is through the MOFA or Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Likewise, you will only need the passport number and follow these steps:

1. Enter with the web address: https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/
2. Choose VISA APPLICATION in the tab for the type of inquiry
3. Enter your application number and passport number
4. Write the Captcha code correctly
5. Select with a click on SEARCH

Once you have entered all the data correctly, the system will show you the status of the Saudi visa.

Saudi Arabia Work Visa Fees

As in most legal procedures, for the working permit in Saudi Arabia, you must pay a fee as follows:

For a visa-sponsoring workforce made up of 50% Saudi citizens, the cost will be SAR 7,200. Likewise, this will include SAR 750 for the Iqama application, and for the work visa and insurance, it will be SAR 6,000 and SAR 450, respectively.

However, if the company employs more than 50% expatriates, the fee will increase to SAR 8,400, with the work visa costing SAR 7,200.

In conclusion, to obtain a working permit in Saudi Arabia, you must meet the legal requirements demanded by the authorities. Additionally, if you would like more information about this and other visa processes in general, contact us.