Saudi Arabia caps work visas for new firms, grants older companies bigger quotas
By Aboki Forex —
Saudi Arabia has introduced new work visa limits that vary by how long a business has operated, replacing a system that applied uniform rules to all employers. Companies under two years old can now obtain a maximum of five work visas, while older firms can access up to 50 visas.
New visa rules by company age
Under the revised framework, businesses operating for less than two years are restricted to five work visas in total. Companies that have crossed the two-year mark can apply for up to 50 visas, either through a single submission or multiple applications filed within the same week.
The Economic Times reported that the changes mark a significant departure from the previous system, which did not tie visa quotas to how long a company had been operating.
Nitaqat and the Establishing Programme
Punch reports that businesses enrolled in Saudi Arabia's Establishing Programme fall under a different set of rules. These companies start with a quota of just two work visas, and that figure rises as they advance through the programme and improve their Nitaqat classification.
Nitaqat is the Saudi government's employer classification system, which ranks companies based on the proportion of Saudi nationals in their workforce. A higher Nitaqat score generally reflects greater compliance with the kingdom's Saudisation targets and unlocks more access to foreign labour.
What this means for foreign job seekers
The new rules carry direct consequences for foreign nationals pursuing work opportunities in Saudi Arabia, particularly those from countries with large Gulf-bound workforces such as India. A company with less than two years of operating history can sponsor only five foreign workers in total, meaning its capacity to complete a recruitment process may be limited.
By contrast, a more established employer can recruit up to 50 workers from abroad, offering greater certainty to prospective hires. Prospective employees are now advised to look beyond salary and job title when evaluating a Saudi job offer. Verifying an employer's operating history, Nitaqat classification, and remaining visa quota could be critical before paying any recruitment fees or signing a contract.
The broader intent appears to be linking foreign labour access to business development. Rather than applying blanket visa rules across all employers, Saudi authorities are giving older, better-classified businesses more room to recruit internationally while placing tighter restrictions on newer enterprises.
Related visa shake-up in the United States
In a separate development, the United States Department of Homeland Security has announced an overhaul of visa rules for international students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists. The rule, unveiled on Thursday, July 16, scraps the long-standing "duration of status" system and imposes fixed admission periods on holders of F, J, and I visas. It will come into force 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register, pending congressional review.