Saudi Arabia Extends Work Permit Grace Period Until December 2026: What Employers Need to Know

The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has extended the compliance deadline for irregular expatriate work permits to December 31, 2026. Here is how HR leaders can navigate this crucial six-month reprieve to maintain regulatory compliance and safeguard employee peace of mind.

| Written by Harmanjeet Singh

When it comes to managing an international workforce, nothing disrupts employee well-being, and employer compliance, quite like visa and work permit uncertainties. If your organization operates in Saudi Arabia, you and your expatriate workforce can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) recently announced a significant and highly anticipated policy update: the deadline for employers to regularize the status of foreign workers with missing or expired work permits has been officially extended to December 31, 2026.

Initially set for June 30, 2026, this six-month reprieve offers HR departments a crucial window to ensure full compliance without incurring financial penalties or risking abrupt operational disruptions.

Here is exactly what HR teams and employers need to know about the extension and how to use this time to safeguard both your business and your employees' peace of mind.

Who Qualifies for the Extended Grace Period?

According to the HRSD announcement, the extended deadline specifically targets two primary categories of expatriate workers:

• Workers with Long-Expired Permits: Individuals whose work permits have expired for more than 12 months.

• Workers with Unissued Permits: Expatriates who joined an establishment but were not issued a formal work permit within six months of their start date.

  
  

If you have employees falling into either category, the December 2026 deadline is your new target to get their paperwork properly registered in the national labor system.

The "Qiwa" Platform Rules: Postponed, Not Canceled

A critical component of this update revolves around Saudi Arabia’s official labor portal, Qiwa. Under previous directives, workers whose permits had expired for more than three months were scheduled to be automatically removed from their employers' official employee records on the platform starting July 1, 2026.

With this new extension, the automatic removal has been temporarily postponed. However, HR leaders must note that the underlying rule is not canceled. Workers with expired permits are still subject to automatic removal from the Qiwa system once the new December 31 deadline passes.

Furthermore, even if a worker is eventually removed from your establishment’s records, the employer remains financially liable for all outstanding wages and government obligations accrued during the period of the expired permit.

What Employers and HR Teams Must Do Now

To maintain compliance and protect your foreign talent, HR teams should take the following steps immediately:

• Audit Your Workforce: Log into the Qiwa platform and conduct a comprehensive audit of all expatriate employee records. Identify any missing or expired work permits immediately.

• Initiate Renewals Proactively: Qiwa allows work permit renewals up to 180 days before the expiration date. Do not wait until December to begin the process.

• Check Iqama (Residency) Status: Ensure that your employees' residency permits (Iqamas) are also valid. A worker will not be removed from the system if their work permit expires but their Iqama remains valid for at least 180 days. If the Iqama has less than 180 days remaining, both must be renewed.

• Communicate with Your Team: Visa uncertainty is a massive source of stress for expat workers. Transparently communicate this extension to your affected staff and reassure them that the company is actively handling their paperwork.

  
  

Sources: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), Qiwa Platform Directives