Iqama Explained: Saudi Arabia’s Residence Permit for Workers

Published · by JOBB GROUP FZE

An iqama is the residence permit that lets a foreign national live in Saudi Arabia. It is issued by the Ministry of Interior, through the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), and for most workers it is sponsored by the employer. The word is Arabic for “residence”. In everyday use, “iqama” means three related things: your legal residence status, the resident ID card (often called the Muqeem card), and the iqama number that identifies you across government systems.

If you are still at the stage of getting a visa, that is a separate process: the work visa gets you into the country, and the iqama is what lets you stay, work, open a bank account and sponsor family. This guide explains the iqama itself: what it gives you in daily life, how it is renewed, what it costs and who pays, and what happens when you travel, change jobs or leave for good.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules on residence permits change; check the current position on Absher or with Jawazat, and with HRSD for employment questions. Details below are as of November 2026.

The vocabulary you will hear

Term What it means
Iqama Your residence permit, and by extension your resident identity
Muqeem card The physical resident ID card
Iqama number Your personal ID number for government, banking and telecom services
Absher The Ministry of Interior’s platform for individuals: digital ID, exit and re-entry requests, family services
Absher Business and Muqeem Platforms employers use to issue and renew iqamas and handle exit visas
Qiwa HRSD’s labour platform for contracts, work permits and job transfers
Kafeel / sponsor The employer (or family member) your residence is tied to

What the iqama does for you

Middle East Briefing, a business advisory publication, describes the iqama as the document needed to access most services, including banking, healthcare and education. In practice it is the ID you show to rent a flat, register a phone line, open a salary account and deal with government offices. It also lets you sponsor a spouse and children.

The card displays most details in Arabic, with your name and iqama number in English (Gulf News). You can also carry it on your phone. The same report says Jawazat launched the digital iqama in 2021 and said in 2023 that a digital copy is sufficient, but only if the iqama has been renewed recently, so keep the card to hand if yours has not. You activate it in the Absher app under “my services” and “activate digital ID”, which generates a QR code an official can scan.

Card expiry is not residence expiry

This is the point that confuses new arrivals most. The physical card can carry a long validity, but the right to stay is renewed separately and electronically. Wego explains that the “five-year iqama” refers to the resident ID card being valid for five years from issue, while the residency underneath must still be renewed online through Absher or Muqeem, and a lapsed renewal can make the card invalid even if the printed date is later (Wego, April 2026).

So the date to watch is the residence expiry date shown in Absher, not the date printed on the card.

Getting your first iqama

Your employer applies after you arrive. Sovereign Group, a corporate services firm, notes that the application must be made within 90 days of arrival (Sovereign Group). Middle East Briefing adds that fingerprints and facial scans are taken at Jawazat centres, that health insurance must be valid for the whole iqama period and is checked against the health insurance council’s platform, and that employers must have staff registered with GOSI and on Muqeem to avoid delays.

Your part is simple: give HR your passport, photos and any documents they request promptly, attend the biometrics appointment, and once the iqama is issued, set up Absher so you can see your own records.

Renewal: periods, timing and penalties

How long a renewal lasts

Since late 2021, iqamas for private-sector workers can be issued and renewed for periods as short as three months, with fees paid for the same period. Gulf News reported in November 2021 that employers can choose three, six or 12 months through Absher Business and Muqeem, and that domestic workers were excluded from that change (Gulf News). Middle East Briefing lists nine months as an option too. Domestic workers have since been given their own flexibility: KPMG reported in July 2026 that employers can now issue or renew domestic workers’ iqamas for 3 to 24 months through Absher (KPMG).

Shorter renewal periods are an employer cash-flow tool. For you, they mean your residence may come up for renewal several times a year, so check the expiry date in Absher regularly.

What happens if it lapses

Jawazat stated in 2021, as reported by KSA Expats, that employers who fail to renew on time are fined SR 500 the first time and SR 1,000 the second, and that a third offence can lead to the resident’s deportation as well as fines (KSA Expats). Middle East Briefing adds that renewals may be held back if the employer does not meet its Nitaqat Saudisation quota. If your iqama is close to expiry and HR has not acted, raise it in writing.

Who pays for the iqama

The law is clear for the worker’s own permit. Article 40 of the Saudi Labor Law says the employer bears the fees for issuing and renewing the residence permit and work permit, fines caused by delays, fees for changing profession, exit and re-entry fees, and the worker’s return ticket when the relationship ends.

Exact government amounts are harder to pin down from published sources. Middle East Briefing gives an iqama fee of SAR 650 a year, a work permit levy of SAR 800 a month and a dependant fee of SAR 400 a month per dependant, but its own FAQ lists different figures, and Sovereign Group gives others again. Separately, Gulf News reported in January 2025 that Absher Business revised its value-added service charges to employers, including SR 51.75 for issuing or renewing an iqama and SR 70 for final exit (Gulf News); those are platform charges, not the residence fee itself. Use the figures Absher shows at the time of payment.

Article 40 talks about the worker. It does not mention dependants, so who pays family fees is a matter for your contract. Ask about it before you sign.

Family on your iqama

Iqama holders can sponsor a spouse and children, with family applications handled through Jawazat. Middle East Briefing says dependants’ renewals can be processed online through Absher or Muqeem even when the dependants are outside Saudi Arabia, provided the head of household is in the Kingdom. Each dependant has their own iqama tied to yours, so if your residence ends, theirs is affected too.

Travelling, changing jobs and leaving

Exit and re-entry

You need an exit and re-entry visa to leave Saudi Arabia temporarily and come back on the same iqama. Under HRSD’s Labor Reform Initiative, effective 14 March 2021, private-sector expatriate workers can request this themselves through Absher or Qiwa without the employer’s approval; the employer is notified electronically. Your iqama needs to remain valid for your trip, so check the expiry before you book.

Moving to a new employer

The same initiative introduced job mobility: when your contract ends, you can transfer to a new employer without the current employer’s consent. Moving during the contract is possible only with notice and the safeguards the rules set. Under Article 40, transfer fees fall on the new employer. Your iqama number stays with you; the sponsorship moves. DLA Piper reported in August 2025 that HRSD gives expatriates a 60-day grace period after a contract ends to transfer, renew or leave; after that, Qiwa automatically records the worker as absent (DLA Piper).

Final exit

When you leave Saudi Arabia for good, you need a final exit visa. The Labor Reform Initiative allows workers to obtain one at the end of the contract without the employer’s consent, though a worker who ends a contract early bears the consequences set out in the rules. KPMG reported that on 20 June 2026 Jawazat clarified that a final exit visa is valid for 60 days from issue, even if the iqama expires sooner, and that leaving after it expires carries a SAR 1,000 fine (KPMG). Employers issue final exit visas through Absher Business, and Gulf News reported in January 2025 that Jawazat requires at least 30 days’ validity on the iqama before a final exit visa can be issued; with less, the employer must renew first (Gulf News).

If your iqama is lost or stolen

Middle East Briefing advises reporting it to your employer immediately and to the police; a police report is needed for a replacement, and a fine may apply. Your digital iqama in Absher remains a useful proof of identity in the meantime.

A short iqama checklist

  • Set up Absher and activate the digital ID as soon as your iqama is issued.
  • Note the residence expiry date from Absher, not the card, and set reminders a month ahead.
  • Keep copies of your passport, iqama and contract somewhere you can reach from abroad.
  • Before any trip, confirm your exit and re-entry visa and that your iqama covers the return date.
  • Agree in writing who pays dependants’ fees.
  • When you plan to leave for good, start final exit early enough to settle bank, phone and housing matters.

If you are still job hunting in the Gulf, an international resume builder can help you produce a CV in the format Saudi employers expect, and the resume examples library shows how others in your field present their experience.

Frequently asked questions

What does iqama mean?

Iqama is Arabic for residence. In Saudi Arabia it refers to the residence permit for foreign nationals, the resident ID card and the iqama number used across government and private services.

How long is an iqama valid?

The physical resident ID card can be valid for five years, but residence itself is renewed electronically for set periods, which employers can choose from three months upwards. Check the residence expiry date in Absher.

Who pays for iqama renewal in Saudi Arabia?

For workers, Article 40 of the Saudi Labor Law places iqama and work permit fees, renewals and fines caused by delays on the employer. Dependants are not covered by that article, so check your contract.

Can I use a digital iqama instead of the card?

Usually. Jawazat said in 2023 that a digital copy is sufficient if the iqama has been renewed recently, according to Gulf News. Activate it in the Absher app under ‘my services’, then ‘activate digital ID’.

Can I leave Saudi Arabia without my employer’s permission?

Under HRSD’s Labor Reform Initiative, private-sector expatriate workers can request exit and re-entry visas, and a final exit visa at the end of the contract, without employer approval through Absher or Qiwa. The employer is notified electronically.

What is the penalty for an expired iqama?

Jawazat stated in 2021 that employers who fail to renew on time are fined SR 500 for a first offence and SR 1,000 for a second, and that a third can lead to deportation of the resident.

Sources

Ready to build your resume?

Start with a sample or a blank page. No sign-up needed. Free to edit; US$1.00 only if you download a PDF.

Build My ATS ResumeExplore Resume Templates