A senior hire from outside the country needs a work permit, a residence permit and, in most cases, family documents. The rules differ in each country and change often, so what follows describes the usual routes and the order of steps rather than anything final.
Before the offer is made
Companies tend to start with their own standing with the labour authority, because in both countries the employer's quota position can limit its ability to bring in a foreign national.
It also helps to know who in the business holds the portal access needed to file the visa, and who will handle the filing.
Candidates are usually asked early for passport validity, degree certificates and, if the family will come, marriage and birth certificates. Attestation takes time, so the documents are generally gathered while the offer is still being agreed.
Offer letters commonly say that the start date depends on permits.
The Saudi work permit and iqama
The employer applies through Qiwa, the labour services portal of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. The usual sequence is a work visa request, entry to the Kingdom, then a work permit and an iqama (residence permit), and the ministry states that the work permit must be issued within the first 90 days after the employee enters the Kingdom.
The iqama is handled through the Ministry of Interior's Absher and Muqeem systems, and a medical examination and fingerprints form part of the process once the employee is in the country. Health insurance is linked to the iqama, so employers usually arrange the policy before arrival.
The contract and the degree usually need attestation. Saudi missions abroad describe a chain that includes the home country's foreign ministry and the Saudi cultural office or embassy. The chain depends on the country that issued the degree, so the Saudi mission there is the first place to ask.
How does Saudisation affect hiring a foreign national?
Saudisation is a legal quota that every private employer in the Kingdom must meet, not a recruiter preference. Under the Nitaqat programme, the ministry places each establishment in a category according to the share of Saudi nationals on its payroll, its size and its sector.
The category decides what the employer can do. Qiwa states that establishments in the lowest category cannot apply for new visas or renew work permits for foreign employees, while those in the middle category and above can.
Companies therefore tend to look up their Nitaqat category on Qiwa before planning a foreign hire, and to see whether the role is on a list restricted to Saudi nationals. Both can change, and the portal is the only reliable source for the current position.
Is there a residency route that does not depend on an employer?
Yes. Saudi Arabia runs a Premium Residency scheme, administered by the Premium Residency Center. The national portal describes seven options, which include routes for talent, investors, entrepreneurs and property owners.
Eligibility is set by the Center and is specific to each option, and some routes need a recommendation from a government body or an employer. A senior hire cannot assume they qualify. Companies generally treat Premium Residency as something the individual applies for, separate from the standard work visa, with the current criteria on the official portal.
The regulation says family members can be included. It defines them as spouses, children under 25 and parents, with some further cases, and the Center holds the current definition.
Bringing the family to Saudi Arabia
Once the employee holds an iqama, the sponsor can request iqamas for the spouse and children through Absher. Each family member needs a valid passport and a medical examination at an approved centre. The family member must be in the Kingdom when the iqama is issued, so a family visa comes first.
Government charges apply to dependants of private-sector expatriates and have changed over time, so the current amounts are on Absher. Dependants may not work without authorisation. Health insurance for the family is a condition of the process, and it is worth settling in the offer whether the employer will cover it.
The UAE work permit route
For a mainland company, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) issues the work permit. The government's page states that the permit for a worker recruited from outside the UAE is valid for two years. Applications are made through the Work Bundle platform. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and, in Dubai, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) handle entry permits, residence visas and Emirates ID. Free zones run their own procedures, so a free zone company deals with its own authority.
The usual sequence is an entry permit, arrival, a medical test and then the residence visa. The entry permit is valid for two months, and the government states that the worker must complete residence procedures within one month of entering the country. A passport valid for at least six months is also needed.
Some jobs require attested degrees. The certificate is authenticated by the foreign ministry in the country of origin and then by the UAE embassy or consulate there, and some professions need the UAE Ministry of Education as well.
What is Emiratisation, and who must meet it?
Emiratisation is a legal requirement on private companies, not a recruiter preference. Private companies with 50 or more employees must raise the share of UAE nationals in skilled jobs each year, against targets and deadlines set by MOHRE. Companies with 20 to 49 employees in specified sectors must employ at least one UAE national, and a company that does not meet its target pays a financial contribution.
Targets are set by MOHRE and updated by sector, and MOHRE's own page is the one to rely on for the current figure. Free zone companies are generally outside the mainland rule, but each free zone has its own terms.
Does a senior hire qualify for the UAE Golden Visa?
Some do, but it is not automatic and the individual applies. The government's Golden Visa page lists a 10-year route for people with exceptional talent or rare specialisations, which includes executives, and says each subcategory has its own requirements.
ICP's guide for skilled professionals sets the basis. The person must hold a valid work permit under an approved contract, hold at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and fall in a senior occupational level in MOHRE's classification, namely chairperson or chief executive at level one or specialist at level two. A minimum monthly salary and health insurance for the person and family also apply. The salary figure is stated in the ICP guide and can change.
Family sponsorship in the UAE
A resident with a valid visa can sponsor a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs. The sponsor must meet a minimum income condition, which the government publishes. Family members aged 18 or over take a medical test.
A marriage certificate issued abroad normally needs attestation, and a birth certificate is needed for each child. The family visa is linked to the sponsor's visa, so if the sponsor's visa is cancelled, the family's must be cancelled too.
The usual order of steps
The order is similar in both countries. The employer's quota position comes first, then the offer and a start date subject to permits, then the collection and attestation of documents. The visa or entry permit is filed next, the employee travels and completes medical tests and biometrics, and the residence permit and ID are issued. The family applies last.
Most delays come from attestation and from missing health insurance, which is why firm start dates tend to wait until the permit is issued.
What about schooling, housing, insurance and driving?
On insurance, the UAE federal government states that from 1 January 2025 employers must buy a health insurance policy before applying to issue or renew private sector residence permits. Abu Dhabi and Dubai each have their own rules on dependants. In Saudi Arabia, cover is tied to the iqama.
On driving, both countries allow some foreign licences to be exchanged, depending on the country that issued the licence. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority publishes a list, and in Saudi Arabia the list and fees are on Absher.
Schooling and housing are not legal matters, but they often decide whether a family stays. In general practice, school places in the main cities fill early and many schools keep waiting lists, so families tend to apply as soon as the offer is accepted. Many companies give a short-term furnished stay, then help the family to find a lease.
Questions clients and candidates ask
Does the employer or the employee apply for the visa?
In both countries the employer files the work visa and permit, while the employee supplies documents and attends medical tests and biometrics. A Premium Residency or Golden Visa application is made by the individual.
Can a family travel with the new hire?
In both countries the family is sponsored once the employee holds a residence permit. In Saudi Arabia a family visa is needed first, because the family iqama is issued inside the Kingdom. Each portal has the current steps.
Are Saudisation and Emiratisation recruiter preferences?
No. They are legal quotas set by the government. Each company has its own quota, and the quota affects its ability to employ people who are not citizens.
Where are the current rules published?
The official portals are the reliable source: Qiwa, Absher and the Premium Residency Center for Saudi Arabia, and MOHRE, ICP and GDRFA for the UAE. Rules, fees and country lists change often.
Sources
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