Saudi Arabia Extends Deadline for Expired Foreign Workers’ Permits to December 2026

Saudi Arabia has extended the deadline for employers to renew expired work permits for foreign workers, granting businesses until December 31, 2026, to regularise their workforce and comply with the Kingdom’s labour regulations.

The extension, announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, replaces the previous June 30, 2026, deadline and is aimed at giving employers more time to address outstanding work permit issues before stricter enforcement measures begin.

The revised deadline applies to expatriate employees whose work permits expired more than 12 months ago, as well as foreign workers who were not issued work permits within six months of starting employment.

As part of the extension, Saudi authorities have also postponed the automatic removal of affected employees from employers’ records on the Qiwa labour platform. Under the previous rules, workers whose permits had remained expired for more than three months faced removal from the system.

Employers now have until the end of December to renew expired permits and complete outstanding work permit registrations.

The ministry urged companies to review their workforce records and resolve all pending compliance issues, warning that businesses failing to meet the new deadline could face financial penalties, regulatory sanctions and the removal of affected workers from their employment records.

The extension comes amid broader labour reforms introduced by the Kingdom to strengthen oversight of its employment sector.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia ended the work permit exemption previously granted to holders of its Premium Residency programme, making it mandatory for Premium Residency holders seeking employment to obtain a separate work permit before taking up jobs.

Authorities have also tightened penalties for labour law violations. Employers found hiring foreign workers without valid work permits now face fines of SR10,000 (about $2,666) for each affected employee.

The updated regulations also expand labour violations to include undocumented employment contracts, illegal recruitment, child labour, unlawful confiscation of employees’ passports, and breaches of maternity and childcare protections.

Additionally, employers who fail to register employment contracts digitally may be fined SR1,000 (about $266) for every employee whose contract is not properly documented.

Saudi authorities say the reforms are designed to improve compliance, strengthen labour protections and enhance transparency across the country’s employment sector.