Saudi Arabia has announced several key Immigration and workforce policy changes that will impact employers and residents. These updates include new Saudisation rates for various professions, changes to visa extensions and renewals for residents and their dependents, and new requirements for exit visa applications. The key developments are as follows:
New Saudisation rates have been rolled out for over 269 professions in sectors such as healthcare, engineering and accounting, and will take effect from 27 July 2025;
Saudi residents can extend their exit and re-entry visas while out of the country, and dependents of residents as well as domestic workers located outside of Saudi Arabia can now renew their resident IDs while outside of the country;
Holders of a residence permit in Saudi Arabia must now ensure their permit has at least 30 days of validity before applying for an exit visa.
The detail
Saudisation
The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) has just announced a major move to enhance Saudisation across a variety of industries. Effective 27 July 2025, these new regulations will significantly raise the Saudisation rates for over 269 professions in sectors such as healthcare, engineering, accounting, and more. Key highlights include:
Pharmacy Sector: Saudisation to be raised to 55% for general pharmacy activities and 65% for pharmacy activities within hospitals;
Dentistry Professions: Starting with 45% Saudisation in July 2025, and progressing to 55% after one year;
Accounting Professions: Saudisation to gradually rise over five years, with an initial 40% in 2025, reaching 70% by 2028;
Engineering Professions: Saudisation to be set at 30% for engineering technical professions from the previous 25%.
Renewal of exit & re-entry visas and resident ID’s
Residents who are outside the Kingdom can extend their exit and re-entry visas – both single and multiple-entry while being out of the country. These services can be accessed through two platforms: Absher (Ministry of Interior’s electronic platform) and the Muqeem Portal. Tl. Dependents of residents and domestic workers located outside of Saudi Arabia can also renew their resident IDs while outside of the country.
Required 30 day validity residence permit for exit
Effective immediately, holders of a resident permit in Saudi Arabia must ensure their resident permit has at least 30 days of validity before applying for an exit visa (or renew their residence permit first). Previously, foreign nationals could apply for an exit visa up until the last day of their permit, while from now on a renewal would be required first to ensure a minimum of 30 days validity. Premium resident permits will not be subject to the new exit visa requirements.
The new Saudisation initiatives and increased Saudisation rates boost local workforce across key professional sectors and aim to stimulate local labour market participation. Employers should factor in these Saudisation rates in their workforce planning and adapt their policies accordingly. The visa renewal procedures allow for a smoother process for expatriates and their families to renew their permits while outside of the country.
At Vialto Partners, we provide expert guidance on navigating Saudi Arabia’s immigration policies and their implications for businesses and employees. We are closely monitoring the above changes and can advise you with respect to the impact of those changes as well as conduct any assessments your business might need to comply with the new requirements. For tailored advice on how these changes may affect your business or employees, please contact our team.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Anir Chatterji
EMEA Immigration Partner
Ali Ibrahim
Director, Middle East Immigration
Ahmed Amer
Manager, Middle East Immigration
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