Saudi Arabia Work Visa Rules Now Stricter For Indian Workers

New Delhi: Indian workers planning to apply for a work visa for Saudi Arabia will now be required to complete a pre-verification of professional and academic qualifications from January 14.

Indians are the second-largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia, after Bangladesh, with a population of more than 2.4 million, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The idea, proposed six months ago, is aimed at reducing the influx of Indian workers, due to the limited number of qualified training centres, to ensure quality control.

In line with the 2030 vision, the kingdom has initiated reforms in the labour sector to make it “more flexible for expatriates to have employment contracts”. Stricter certification requirements for certain jobs are also part of the changes.

As per a circular issued by the Saudi mission in India, accessed by The New Indian Express, "professional verification procedures for issuing work visas will be implemented from January 14."

Therefore, professional verification will become one of the mandatory requirements for issuing work visas, it added.

Meanwhile, the country has also announced a rule upgrade for expats renewing their Iqama, or residency permits, and extending exit and re-entry visas. In a post on X, Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports announced that dependents of expats as well as domestic workers located outside the kingdom can now renew their Iqama.

Expats outside Saudi can also extend the period of single or multiple exit and re-entry visas. 

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