Saudi Arabia Extends Deadline to Rectify Expired Work Permits Until End of 2026

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has extended until the end of 2026 the grace period for employers to regularise the status of expatriate workers whose work permits have been expired for more than 12 months.

The extension also applies to expatriate workers who have not been issued a work permit within six months of joining an establishment.

According to the ministry, the decision is intended to strengthen compliance with labour regulations, safeguard the rights of both employers and employees, and give businesses and workers additional time to complete the necessary legal procedures.

The move forms part of the ministry’s wider efforts to improve compliance across the Saudi labour market, following positive responses from a number of establishments and workers that have already taken steps to regularise their employment status.

The ministry urged employers to renew existing work permits or issue new ones before the revised deadline, warning that establishments failing to rectify workers’ status by the end of 2026 will face the applicable legal measures.

The announcement comes just days after the Qiwa platform confirmed that, from July 1, workers whose permits had remained expired for more than three months would be automatically removed from employers’ records.

Under Qiwa regulations, employers remain responsible for all outstanding financial obligations incurred during the employment of workers without valid work permits, even after those workers are removed from the establishment’s records.

Qiwa has advised employers to settle outstanding work permit fees and complete the required procedures, including renewing work permits or transferring workers’ services where applicable, to avoid legal action and financial penalties.

 
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