Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Qiwa platform has set Tuesday, June 30, as the deadline for employers to renew expired work permits or transfer employee services before affected expatriate workers are removed from their employers’ records.
Beginning Wednesday, July 1, Qiwa will remove expatriate workers whose work permits have remained expired for more than three months from their employers’ records.
The platform, under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said employers will remain responsible for all outstanding work permit fees and other financial obligations incurred while workers were employed without valid permits until the date of their removal.
Qiwa also clarified that workers will not be removed if their residency permit (Iqama) remains valid for at least 180 days, even if their work permit has expired and the employer is unable to renew it.
However, if the Iqama has less than 180 days of validity remaining, employers must renew both the residency permit and the work permit to avoid further action.
The platform urged employers to complete the required procedures before the deadline by renewing work permits or transferring employee services. It also advised employers to settle any outstanding work permit fees to avoid legal action and financial liabilities.
