Work visas, permits & Iqama in Saudi Arabia
Bringing an employee to the Kingdom is more than paperwork: the right job title, verified qualifications, a visa to enter, a work permit to work, and an Iqama to reside, then kept current every cycle. PROMISE gets every step right, from classification to renewals.
Three things, and your employee needs all of them
To employ someone from abroad you need three things, a visa to bring them in, a work permit so they can work, and an Iqama so they can live here. We handle all three and keep them renewed on time.
Employing foreign talent runs as a sequence, not a single step: you classify the role correctly, verify the person’s qualifications, bring them in, authorise them to work, and register their residence, then keep all of it renewed for as long as they’re here. Each stage runs through a different authority and platform, and a lapse at any point can stop someone working or travelling.
Work visa, work permit, and Iqama, three different things
They’re often lumped together, but they’re separate, and getting each right is the whole job.
Work visa
Permission to enter the Kingdom for work, the employment (work) visa, issued from your company’s block-visa allocation. One-time, at the start.
Work permit
Permission to work, issued by the Ministry of Human Resources (MHRSD) on the Qiwa platform. Renewed each cycle, annually.
Iqama (residence permit)
Permission to live in the Kingdom, issued through Jawazat and managed on Muqeem. In practice the work permit and Iqama are renewed together each year.
This is the employer-sponsored track. For self-sponsored residency that isn’t tied to a job or company. See our Premium Residency page .
Every step, from classification to renewal
The right job title & classification
The single most important decision in a work-visa application. We match the role to the Kingdom’s official occupational classification against the employee’s qualifications, experience, and your company’s activity, quiet groundwork that prevents rejections and later compliance flags.
Qualification verification
For many professions, the employee’s academic and professional credentials must be verified, and a skills assessment passed, in their home country before a visa is issued. We manage this step so it doesn’t stall the process.
Block visas & issuance
We secure or draw on your block-visa allocation on Qiwa and obtain the visa authorisation for each specific hire, through to embassy issuance.
Work permit, Iqama & enrolment
On arrival we issue the work permit on Qiwa and the Iqama through Jawazat, put medical insurance in place, and complete the one-time biometric registration.
Renewals
We renew the work permit and Iqama together each cycle, for the period you choose, keeping everything valid.
Employer transfers
Hiring someone already in the Kingdom, or releasing a leaver, we manage the transfer on Qiwa correctly so the move is clean on both sides.
Exit & re-entry
We process single and multiple exit and re-entry permits so employees and their dependants can travel and return without jeopardising their residency.
Compliance monitoring
We track every expiry and renewal condition across your workforce and act before deadlines, so nothing lapses and no penalties accrue.
Keeping permits and Iqama valid
The work permit and Iqama are renewed together, each cycle, for a period you choose, up to a year at a time. A renewal is never automatic: it depends on valid medical insurance, records that stay consistent across Qiwa, GOSI, and Muqeem, and your company’s Nitaqat standing (a Red band blocks work-permit renewals). There’s an upside to staying compliant, too, companies in the stronger Nitaqat bands benefit from reduced work-permit fees and faster processing. Miss a renewal, though, and an employee can suddenly be unable to work or travel, so we monitor every expiry across your workforce and renew ahead of the deadline.
From classification to a working, resident employee
Profession & eligibility
We select the correct job title under the official occupational classification, matched to the employee’s qualifications and your company’s activity, and confirm your block-visa eligibility.
Qualification verification
For many professions, the employee’s credentials are verified and a skills assessment passed in their home country, before any visa is issued.
Block visa & authorisation
We secure or draw on your block-visa allocation on Qiwa and obtain the visa authorisation for the specific hire.
Embassy issuance
The employee completes the visa at the Saudi embassy in their home country, including required medicals.
Work permit, Iqama & enrolment
On arrival we issue the work permit on Qiwa and the Iqama through Jawazat, put medical insurance in place, and complete the one-time biometric registration.
Renewals
We renew the work permit and Iqama each cycle, for the period you choose, keeping everything valid.
How long it takes depends on the profession, the qualification verification, your block-visa position, and the employee’s home-country processing. We give you a realistic timeline for each case rather than a one-size-fits-all promise.
Why companies choose PROMISE for visas, permits & Iqama
Right from the start
We get the job-title classification and qualification verification right first, the groundwork that prevents rejections later.
One team, every step
Classification, verification, block visa, entry, work permit, Iqama, renewals, transfers, and travel, not split across providers.
Consistent by design
Because we also run your HR and payroll, your Qiwa, GOSI, and Muqeem data stays aligned.
Answers before you commit
How do you choose the right job title for a visa?
We match the role to the Kingdom’s official occupational classification against the employee’s qualifications and experience and your company’s activity. Getting this right is what keeps the application clean and avoids compliance issues later, it’s the part we take most seriously.
Does the employee need their qualifications verified first?
For many professions, yes. The employee’s academic and professional credentials must be verified, and a skills assessment passed, in their home country through the Kingdom’s Professional and Skills Verification programme before the work visa is issued. We manage this step so it doesn’t stall the process.
What’s a block visa?
It’s your company’s approved allocation to recruit a number of foreign employees in specific profession categories. Your allocation depends on your activity and your Saudization (Nitaqat) standing. We secure and draw on it for your hires.
How often are the work permit and Iqama renewed?
They’re renewed together each cycle, for a period you choose, up to a year at a time. A renewal needs valid medical insurance and your company in good standing on Nitaqat (a Red band blocks renewals). We manage the timing and the prerequisites so nothing lapses.
Is this the same as Premium Residency?
No. This is the employer-sponsored track: the Iqama is tied to a job and company. Premium Residency (Premium Iqama) is self-sponsored and independent of any employer. See our Premium Residency page.
Bring your team to Saudi Arabia, and keep them compliant.
Request a consultation and we’ll map the classification, visas, permits, and renewals you need.
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