Saudi Arabia Work Visa for Foreign Workers: Steps, Who Pays and Your Rights (2026)

Saudi Arabia is building new cities, roads, hotels and factories, and it hires millions of foreign workers. The work visa always depends on an employer. This guide explains the steps, who pays, the three skill levels and what your rights are.

The five steps

1. Offer and contract	The company offers you a job. The contract is recorded on the Qiwa platform.
2. Visa approval	The employer gets approval for your work visa from the Saudi authorities.
3. Checks in your country	A medical test at an approved clinic and, for many trade jobs, a skills test.
4. Visa	The visa is put in your passport through the Saudi embassy or its visa office.
5. Residence permit	After you arrive, the employer gets your “iqama”.

Guide to all job types in Saudi Arabia

The three skill levels

High-skilled	Managers and specialists, with a degree, experience and a high salary.
Skilled	Technicians, trade workers, drivers and office staff, with proof of training or experience.
Basic	Helper and manual jobs. Open to workers under 60.

Your level is set by your job title, your training, your experience and your pay. It is shown in the government’s system, so the job title in your contract matters.

Who pays?

The employer pays the visa fee, the residence permit, the work permit and their renewal. The law does not allow the employer to take these costs from your salary. The employer also pays your ticket home when the contract ends as agreed.

Documents you will usually need

A passport valid for at least six months, with empty pages.
Passport photos with a white background.
The medical report from an approved clinic.
Your training certificates, and for some jobs the result of the skills test.
A police paper from your country, if the embassy asks for it.

Life and rules to know

Saudi Arabia is very hot in summer, and outdoor work stops in the middle of the day by law.
Alcohol is banned, and the laws on public behaviour are strict. Respect them.
Keep your “iqama” with you. If the employer does not renew it on time, tell the labour ministry.
House drivers and home workers are hired through a separate government platform, called Musaned.

Guide to all job types in Saudi Arabia

How to apply safely

Apply to the company directly, or through an agency with a licence from your own government.
Ask for the offer in writing, with the salary and what is included.
Read and accept your contract on the Qiwa platform. Check that it matches the offer.
Do the medical test, and the skills test if your job needs it, only at approved centres.
Travel only with a work visa. Do not go on a visit visa because someone says the job is waiting.

Common reasons a visa is refused

The job offer is not real, or the employer did not do their part of the process.
Papers are missing, or the dates and names in your papers do not match.
You cannot show the experience or training that the job asks for.
False papers. One false paper can block you for years, so never use them.

If your visa is refused, read the reason in the letter. Often you can apply again when the problem is fixed.

These are guides, not live vacancies. We are not an employer.

Before you travel: a short checklist

Your visa or entry paper is in your hands and the name matches your passport.
You have the signed contract and the employer’s address and phone number.
You know who meets you on arrival and where you will sleep the first night.
You have enough money for your first weeks, until the first pay arrives.
Your family has copies of all your papers.

Your rights as a worker in Saudi Arabia

Your contract is recorded online, and your salary must be paid through the bank system that the government watches.
Your employer is not allowed to keep your passport.
Normal work is up to eight hours a day and 48 hours a week. Extra hours must be paid at a higher rate.
In summer, outdoor work in the sun is banned in the middle of the day.
You have at least 21 days of paid leave a year, and an end-of-service payment when you leave.
After one year, you can move to another employer under conditions set by the labour ministry. If you are not paid, you can complain to the ministry for free.

Guide to all job types in Saudi Arabia

Costs to plan for

The most important question is what comes with the job. Many companies give helpers, labourers and cleaners a shared room and transport to work, and some give food or a food allowance. This is worth a lot, because pay for helper work is low. If you must pay for your own bed space, food and transport, a low salary is not enough to live and save. Ask who pays your ticket home at the end of the contract. As a guide, 1 US dollar is 3.75 Saudi riyals (SAR).

Protect yourself from fake job offers

Never pay for a work visa. In Saudi Arabia the employer must pay the visa and permit costs.
Be careful with agents who sell a “free visa” and say you can find any job after you arrive. Working for someone who is not your sponsor can get you fined and sent home.
Do not travel on a visit or pilgrimage visa to work. It is not allowed.
Check that the job title and salary in your contract on Qiwa are the same as in your offer.

Questions people ask

Can I go to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa and look for work?

No. You cannot work on a visit visa or a pilgrimage visa. The employer must get your work visa before you travel.

Do I pay tax on my salary in Saudi Arabia?

No. There is no income tax on salaries in Saudi Arabia.

More guides for Saudi Arabia

Last checked: November 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and pay change, so always confirm on the official websites before you decide. We are not a recruiter and we never ask for money.

Guide to all job types in Saudi Arabia

These are guides, not live vacancies. We are not an employer.