Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has introduced a 60-day grace period under new updates to its Qiwa labour platform, allowing workers time to regularise their employment status before being officially marked as “absent from work.”
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s (MoHRSD’s) digital platform, Qiwa, now allows employers to file a status change request only if the worker’s residency permit (Iqama) is valid for at least 60 days and there is no active employment contract.
Once an employee is marked as “disconnected from work,” they are given two months to either transfer to another employer, exit the country, or re-contract with their current employer.
If no action is taken during this interval, the worker is automatically categorised as “absent,” removed from company records, and flagged to both the ministry and the Ministry of Interior.
As part of the overhaul, Qiwa will now automatically finalise employment agreements once the notice term concludes, regardless of who initiated the separation. This ensures timely closure of work relationships and prevents administrative delays.
Free employment documents
To improve transparency and career mobility, the Qiwa Individuals portal provides no-cost employment certificates:
- Current employees can obtain a salary certificate showing active job details
- Former staff may download a service record validating previous roles.
These documents are available by logging into the portal, selecting “Employment Certificates,” and following the on-screen steps. The initiative aims to support jobseekers by providing verified data for CVs and job applications.
These changes form part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to streamline labour procedures, safeguard workers’ rights, and align with Vision 2030’s goals of a modernised and digitised employment landscape.
