Practical guide
Work visa and iqama in Saudi Arabia: who arranges it and who pays
This is the question people ask most often before moving to the Kingdom for work, and the one surrounded by the most invention. Below is only what the documents say: the Saudi Labour Law, the Ministry of Human Resources, and the unified GCC medical-examination regulation. Every statement can be checked against the links at the end of the page.
Checked against sources: 24 September 2026
Who actually arranges the work visa
The work visa is requested by the employer — a company registered in Saudi Arabia that holds authorisation to hire a foreign national for a specific position. Neither an agency, nor an intermediary, nor you personally 'obtain' the visa.
One consequence settles half the questions: the visa is issued against a specific job at a specific company. There is no general-purpose work visa you arrive on and then look for work.
Nationality and country of departure do not change that mechanism. What they change is timing, the document set, and whether qualification verification applies.
Who pays for what — this is written into the law
Article 40 of the Saudi Labour Law. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development lists the costs the employer carries:
Recruitment fees for the non-Saudi worker. Issuing and renewing the residence permit (iqama). Issuing and renewing the work permit. Fines caused by the employer. Fees for changing profession. Exit and re-entry. The ticket for the worker's return home at the end of the relationship.
Stated separately: the worker carries return costs only in two cases — if found unfit for work, or if departing without legitimate reason.
The practical conclusion: being asked to pay for a visa, an iqama or 'holding a place' runs against what the law says. Domus Porta charges candidates nothing — the employer pays for recruitment.
Medical examination: before departure and again after arrival
The medical examination applies to everyone entering a GCC state for work or residence, except those under 16. This is a unified regulation of the Gulf Cooperation Council, not one company's requirement.
It is taken at an accredited centre in your home country before departure. The Council maintains the list of accredited centres and coordinates it with embassies — a certificate from a non-accredited centre will not do.
Screening covers infectious diseases, chronic conditions, mental health and fitness for work.
The certificate is valid for two months from the date of issue. That matters for planning: if more time passes before departure, the examination has to be repeated.
After arrival a second examination is carried out, no later than two months from the date of entry. People are rarely warned about this one.
Qualification verification: who it applies to
Saudi Arabia verifies that education matches the declared position before entry, through a qualification verification programme. It initially covered several sectors, construction among them, and was then extended to all industries.
It applies to nationals of a defined list of countries, and that list keeps expanding. At the date this page was checked, the published list included, among others, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Germany, China, Poland and Sri Lanka. Russia and most CIS countries were not on it — but the current list should be checked at source, not here.
Where it applies, it adds time and a separate fee to the process. The certificate is obtained before entry, not after.
A separate matter: engineers and other regulated professions require professional registration in the Kingdom. A degree alone does not grant the right to practise a regulated profession.
The contract: what to check before you fly
Employment contracts in the Kingdom are documented electronically through the Qiwa platform, as required by the Ministry of Human Resources.
Which means the contract can be seen and checked before you travel anywhere. An employer who will not show the contract before departure is itself a reason to stop.
What to look at: the job title and profession, which must match what the visa is issued against; the amount and currency of pay; what is included beyond base pay; the probation period; the termination terms.
A gap between what was promised verbally and what the contract says is almost impossible to correct after departure. Before departure it is straightforward.
What you may do without the employer's consent
The Labor Reform Initiative, effective 14 March 2021, changed the position of a private-sector expatriate worker. The Ministry of Human Resources describes three entitlements:
Transfer to another employer on expiry of the current contract, without the employer's consent. During the contract, transfer is possible subject to a notice period and set procedures.
Exit and re-entry on the worker's own request, without employer approval; the employer is notified electronically of the departure.
Final exit on completion of the contract without the employer's consent, with electronic notification. All consequences of breaking a contract early, financial ones included, remain with the worker.
None of this cancels contractual obligations. It does mean you are not wholly dependent on one person's signature, as was once the case and as is still being described.
Signs that should stop you
You are asked to pay for the visa, the iqama, 'holding a place' or 'speeding things up'. By law those costs sit with the employer.
The contract is not shown before departure, although it is documented electronically and could be shown.
The profession in the contract is not the one you agreed to work in. Changing profession later is a separate procedure with fees the employer pays, which is exactly why they will resist it.
You are promised 'a work visa, and you will find the job once you are there'. The visa is issued against a specific job.
You are sent for a medical to a centre that is not on the accredited list.
Exact government processing times are quoted to you. Neither an employer nor an intermediary controls them.
FAQ
Who pays for the work visa and the iqama?
The employer. Article 40 of the Labour Law assigns to the employer the recruitment fees for a non-Saudi worker, issuing and renewing the iqama and the work permit, changing profession, exit and re-entry, and the ticket home at the end of the relationship. The worker pays for return only if found unfit for work or departing without legitimate reason.
Can I come on a tourist visa and find work on the ground?
A work visa is arranged by the employer against a specific job. Changing the purpose of stay is a separate procedure and is not guaranteed. 'Fly in and get hired' does not match how the process is built.
How long is the medical certificate valid?
Two months from the date of issue, under the unified GCC regulation. A second examination follows after arrival, no later than two months from the date of entry.
Can I change employer in Saudi Arabia?
On expiry of the current contract, yes, without the current employer's consent. During the contract, transfer is possible subject to a notice period and set procedures. This was established by the Labor Reform Initiative effective 14 March 2021.
Can an employer stop me leaving the country?
Exit and re-entry are processed on the worker's own request without employer approval, with the employer notified electronically. Final exit on completion of the contract likewise does not require consent. The financial consequences of ending a contract early still rest with the worker.
Does my degree need verification?
It depends on nationality and profession. The qualification verification programme has been extended to all industries but applies to nationals of a defined list of countries, and that list changes. Separately, regulated professions including engineering require professional registration in the Kingdom.
Does Domus Porta charge candidates?
No. The employer pays for recruitment. We take nothing from a candidate for a visa, an iqama or 'holding a place', under any circumstances.
Related guides
- Company setup in Saudi Arabia — How to Set Up a Company in Saudi Arabia as a Foreign Investor
- Negotiating in KSA — How business negotiations work in Saudi Arabia
- Pay in KSA — What drives pay in Saudi Arabia: how to read an offer
Sources
- Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development — costs borne by the employer (Article 40)
- Ministry of Human Resources — launch of the Labor Reform Initiative
- Gulf Cooperation Council — Regulations of Medical Examination of Expatriates Coming to GCC States for Work or Residence (PDF)
- Ministry of Human Resources — what the employer bears, companion article
- Fragomen — expansion of the Qualification Verification Program to all industries
This is reference material, not legal advice and not an offer of employment. Procedures, country lists and fees change: before filing, check the current versions on the government websites and confirm with a lawyer licensed in the Kingdom. We do not promise employment, a visa or processing times — those decisions belong to the employer and the authorities.
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