Saudi Arabia grants expat workers 60 days to avoid being classified as absent

At a glance

• Workers are granted a 60-day grace period following the termination of their employment contract
• Within this grace period, workers must transfer to a new employer, sign a new contract with their current employer, or leave the country
• Employers are not required to file an absconding report during this period. If no action is taken by the worker within the 60-day timeframe, their status will automatically be updated in the Qiwa platform and reflected across all relevant government systems, including the Human Resources and Interior ministries.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has introduced new regulations extending the grace period to 60 days before expatriate workers are classified as absent.

The updated regulations, implemented through the Qiwa digital platform, establish specific conditions as follows:

• Employers no longer need to initiate absence reports for workers.
• Workers must have no active employment contract for the 60-day period.
• Status changes will now occur automatically at the end of the grace period if the worker has not transferred, renewed, or departed.

During the grace period, workers have three options: (1) transfer to a new employer (2) exit the country, or (3) sign a new contract with their current employer.

The Qiwa platform will automatically designate workers as 'absent' if no action is taken within the 60-day window, with the same being reflected across all government authorities.