Saudi Arabia has made important updates for workers living in the country. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development published new details on the Qiwa platform on September 8, 2026. This update is very important for the large Indian workforce in Saudi Arabia, which had about 27.48 lakh nationals according to 2025-26 data.
- Free service for expat worker transfers
- No current employer approval needed
- New Instant Work Visa service launched
The new service is listed on Qiwa as Transfer of services from another employer (Freedom of movement). It is completely
free of charge and gives an
immediate process for workers to move to a new company.
The new employer must start the process by sending a job offer on Qiwa. The employee must
accept or reject the offer inside their account. After the employee accepts, the current employer gets a notice about the transfer request. The system then
checks all rules and laws before updating employment details and giving a new work permit. Even though the current employer does not need to approve the transfer, the move must still follow labor laws and Qiwa system checks.
Companies must still follow old rules like having a valid commercial registration, active status, Wage Protection compliance, and Nitaqat compliance. Workers must know that this service
does not cancel contractual notice periods or legal duties. Workers should
check all contract terms like salary, job title, and location on the Qiwa digital contract instead of trusting verbal promises. Workers are also warned
not to pay third-party agents for transfers because the service is free. Anyone facing problems can
call the ministry support line at 19911.
On September 8, 2026, the ministry also released an
Instant Work Visa service. This lets employers
issue permanent, temporary, and seasonal work visas online. This service needs specific compliance levels, such as a
Medium Green Nitaqat status. This is only for employers, and jobseekers must still use legal recruitment channels and follow emigration rules.
