On October 15, 2024, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers approved updates to the regulation of temporary work visas and seasonal work visas.
Key Changes
- The updates take into account the needs of establishments operating in the Umrah season.
- The seasonal work visa is renamed to the “temporary work visa for Hajj and Umrah services.”
- The grace period is extended to last from the fifteenth of the month of Sha’ban until the end of the month of Muharram.
- Employers will no longer need endorsements to obtain temporary work visas for their foreign national employees. Visa holders will now be permitted to stay for 90 days, which can be extended for an additional 90 days.
- The update also introduces stricter penalties for abuse of the system, with maximum fines of SAR 50,000.
The new amendments come into force 180 days after approval.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions.