HomeSkilled tradespersonSaudi Arabia
Routes to Saudi Arabia: skilled tradesperson
Employer-led through Qiwa; worker-side rules not verified.
Entry for workers runs through a Saudi employer that requests visas and work licences on Qiwa; no self-sponsored route was found. Bad news: we could not yet verified the worker-side conditions, visa fee, processing time, skills tests or passport-specific rules, and no official shortage list was found, so those are not stated. One MHRSD page says visa issuance is offered to establishments with high nationalisation rates.
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Choose an occupation and a passport
0 trades are named in Saudi Arabia's official demand list, ranked below.
What Saudi Arabia wants, in its own order
This order is the official shortage analysis, not our opinion. The source is linked under the list.
The routes
Each route below is a separate permit with its own listed requirements. A requirement you do not meet can stop an application for that route, however strong the rest of the case is. A requirement we cannot confirm is shown as unknown, not as a failure.
Employer-sponsored work visa and work licence (via Qiwa) (Qiwa)
Preview — under verificationAn employer in Saudi Arabia requests visas and work licences online through Qiwa; one MHRSD page says visa issuance is offered to establishments with high nationalisation rates. Worker eligibility rules, visa fee and processing times for each passport have not been verified yet.
Who this is for
- People with a Saudi employer willing to sponsor them
You must have every one of these
- A Saudi establishment must act through Qiwa (employer-side service, no direct worker application was found).
- A work licence is a prerequisite for issuing or renewing an expatriate's residence permit.
- Visa issuance service is offered to establishments with high nationalisation rates that follow labour rules.
Source: MHRSD: Visa issuance service (Qiwa) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · MHRSD: Issue and renew work licence (Qiwa service page) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · MHRSD: Transfer of services from another employer (freedom of movement) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
What it costs
Costs are shown in SAR as the cited source states them, with the unit the source gives. We do not convert currencies. A line with no stated unit or date is marked as such and is not an exact official charge.
The page describes an establishment-side request paid via Sadad; who finally bears the fee, and the unit it is charged per, are NOT VERIFIED.
Source: MHRSD: Issue and renew work licence (Qiwa service page) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)
SAR 100Sometimes the employer paysHow long it takes
Timeline not published by the authority
No end-to-end timeline is published on the official pages checked. The MHRSD visa issuance page calls processing immediate for the employer-side service only.
Published figures for this route
Published figures on how often this route is used, with their sources.
Documents, insurance, housing and money
These needs are the same whichever track you choose, so they are published once for Saudi Arabia, with sources and check dates.
Quick answers
Which routes to Saudi Arabia exist on the skilled tradesperson track?
Employer-led through Qiwa; worker-side rules not verified.
How long does it take?
Timeline not published by the authority. No end-to-end timeline is published on the official pages checked. The MHRSD visa issuance page calls processing immediate for the employer-side service only.
How much does it cost?
The published costs on this page total SAR 100. Items that are not in that total, such as proof of funds or later permit fees, are labelled on this page where our sources state them.