Saudi Arabia sets new work visa limits for businesses, foreign workers

Saudi Arabia has introduced new limits on the number of work visas that businesses can obtain, creating a clearer distinction between newly established companies and more established employers as the kingdom adjusts its rules for hiring foreign workers.

As reported by the Economic Times on Thursday, under the revised framework, businesses that have been operating for less than two years can obtain up to five work visas, while companies that have been operating for more than two years can obtain as many as 50 visas.

The changes are expected to affect foreign workers seeking employment in Saudi Arabia, particularly those relying on smaller or recently established companies for sponsorship.

Businesses participating in the Establishing Programme are subject to a separate set of rules. Such companies begin with a quota of two work visas, with the quota increasing as they progress through the programme and achieve a higher Nitaqat classification.

Nitaqat is Saudi Arabia’s system for categorising employers based on the composition of their workforce and their employment of Saudi nationals.

The new limits represent a significant change from the previous framework, which did not impose specific visa caps based on how long a business had been operating.

Under the revised rules:

Businesses operating for less than two years can obtain up to five work visas, compared with no specific cap under the previous framework.

Businesses operating for more than two years can obtain up to 50 work visas, either through a single application or multiple applications submitted within the same week.

Businesses in the Establishing Programme begin with a quota of two work visas. The quota can increase as the company progresses through the programme and achieves a higher Nitaqat classification.

The distinction could be particularly important for foreign workers considering employment with smaller Saudi businesses. A company that has been operating for only a short period will have considerably less capacity to recruit workers from abroad than an established employer.

By contrast, companies that have passed the two-year threshold can access a substantially larger pool of work visas, giving them greater flexibility in overseas recruitment.

The changes could also become an important consideration for workers from countries such as India, which has a large population of nationals seeking employment opportunities in the Gulf.

Prospective employees may therefore need to look beyond salary, job title and employer reputation when assessing a Saudi job offer. The sponsoring company’s operating history and Nitaqat status could determine whether it has sufficient visa capacity to complete the recruitment process.

The revised framework also points to a broader effort by Saudi authorities to link access to foreign labour with the development and workforce classification of businesses.

Rather than applying the same visa framework to all employers, the new system gives established companies greater capacity while placing tighter limits on newer enterprises.

For employers, the quotas could make workforce planning more important, particularly for businesses that rely heavily on overseas recruitment during their early years.

For prospective foreign workers, the changes underscore the need to verify an employer’s eligibility and available visa quota before paying recruitment fees or committing to the Saudi employment process.