Saudi Arabia has introduced revised work visa quotas for newly established businesses, changing the number of foreign workers companies can recruit based on their operating history and participation in the Establishing Programme.
The new framework introduces different visa limits for businesses depending on how long they have been operating and their progress under Saudi Arabia’s employment and localisation requirements.
Companies Operating for Less Than Two Years
Under the revised rules, businesses that have been operating for less than two years can obtain up to five work visas.
The new limit is aimed at providing newly established companies with access to a limited number of foreign employees while they build their operations and workforce.
Companies will need to follow the applicable procedures when applying for these visas and comply with the relevant labour and localisation requirements.
Older Businesses Can Obtain More Visas
Companies that have been operating for more than two years will have access to a significantly higher quota.
These businesses can obtain up to 50 work visas. The quota can be secured through a single application or through multiple applications submitted during the same week at the entity level.
The difference between the quotas reflects the government’s approach of giving established businesses greater flexibility to recruit workers as their operations expand.
Establishing Programme Businesses Face Separate Limits
A separate arrangement applies to companies participating in the Establishing Programme.
Such businesses will initially be eligible for two work visas.
However, their quota can increase as they progress through the programme and achieve a higher Nitaqat rate, which is linked to Saudi Arabia’s workforce localisation system.
This means companies participating in the programme may gradually gain access to additional foreign-worker visas as they meet the required employment and localisation conditions.
New Framework Changes Previous Requirements
The revised visa quotas represent a change from the previous framework and introduce requirements that were not previously applicable in the same form.
For newly established businesses, the changes make the company’s operating period an important factor when determining its foreign-worker visa entitlement.
Businesses will therefore need to consider their operating history, programme participation and Nitaqat performance when planning recruitment from overseas.
The changes are particularly relevant for entrepreneurs and companies setting up operations in Saudi Arabia, as the available work visa quota can directly affect their ability to recruit foreign employees during the early stages of business development.
Overall, the revised system appears designed to balance the staffing needs of growing companies with Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to increase employment opportunities for Saudi nationals through its localisation policies.
