Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior has started issuing and renewing residency permits (Iqama) for foreigners on a quarterly basis, except for domestic workers, a move aimed to ease procedures for the private sectors, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The implementation comes in cooperation with the country’s General Directorate of Passports, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA).
The new mechanism will enable employers to renew residence permits, work permits, and financial compensation for varying periods of three months, six months, nine months, and twelve months.
Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports stated that this service can be accessed through the platforms of Absher Business and Muqeem.
The mechanism aims at facilitating procedures for private sector establishments to enable them to achieve optimal cash management and renew their workers’ permits according to actual needs.
It is reported that the number of foreigners in Saudi Arabia is more than 13 million, equivalent to 38.3 per cent of the total population.