Muqeem Portal Explained for Expats and Employers

If you employ expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia, or you are an expatriate wondering how your residency paperwork gets processed, مقيم is the system behind the scenes. It is the employer-facing portal where establishments handle passport and residency transactions electronically — from issuing and renewing Iqamas to printing documents and arranging travel visas. This guide from سعودي ليفنج explains what مقيم does, who uses it, the typical costs involved, and the steps for the most common transactions.

What is مقيم and who uses it?

مقيم is Saudi Arabia’s electronic portal for managing expatriate residents’ passport and residency affairs. It is designed for employers, not individual residents. Through an establishment account and an authorized representative, employers can:

• Issue and renew Iqamas (residence permits)
• Print residency documents
• Issue single and multiple exit-and-re-entry visas
• Issue final-exit visas
• Update employee information and review resident records
• Complete other Jawazat (passport department) transactions

Employers sign in at muqeem.sa. Expatriate workers generally cannot renew their own Iqamas through مقيم — the sponsoring employer must complete the transaction.

How مقيم differs from أبشر

It is easy to confuse the two systems, but they serve different users. مقيم is the employer tool for residency transactions. أبشر (Absher Individuals) is for residents themselves, who use it to view their Iqama information, check status, and access eligible personal visa services. In short: the employer acts in مقيم, and you track and view your own records in أبشر.

Typical fees and levies

Fees in مقيم are displayed during each transaction, and government payments are normally settled through SADAD or the payment channel shown on screen. مقيم subscription payments use SADAD biller 085. The following figures are commonly listed, but you should always confirm the exact amount shown in the actual transaction:

• Iqama residence fee: commonly listed at SAR 650 excluding work-permit fees, levies, insurance, and other charges.
• Work-permit levy: separate from the Iqama fee, varying by establishment and worker category. Qualifying establishments with an industrial license may have a SAR 0 monthly levy under the reported exemption.
• Dependent levy: commonly SAR 400 or SAR 4,800 where applicable.
• Single exit-and-re-entry visa: commonly SAR 200 for the initial period; extensions may add fees.
• Multiple exit-and-re-entry visa: commonly starts at SAR 500, depending on validity.
• Sponsorship or service transfer: commonly begins at SAR 2,000 for a first transfer, increasing for later transfers.

Who pays what?

Under Saudi labor practice, the employer generally bears the cost of recruitment, the residence permit, the work permit, renewals, employer-caused fines, profession changes, exit-and-return visas, and eligible service-transfer costs. Dependent-related fees and personal travel arrangements are a separate matter that should be clarified in the employment contract.

Before renewing an Iqama

Before an Iqama can be renewed, the employer normally must ensure several conditions are met:

• Valid health insurance for the worker
• Payment of all applicable government fees and levies
• No blocking violations on the record
• Sufficient remaining passport validity

Iqama validity is normally one year when renewed annually, subject to the period and category approved in the transaction.

How a transaction works, step by step

The core process in مقيم is consistent across most services:

• The employer signs in to مقيم with the establishment account.
• They select the resident and the required service (renewal, exit visa, etc.).
• They review the displayed fees and the validity period.
• They pay through the available channel (such as SADAD).
• They complete issuance or renewal, and the resident can then view the result in أبشر.

For exit-and-re-entry visas, remember that validity is the period you select and pay for — the visa must be used and complied with before its displayed expiry date, or it may lapse.

A practical tip

Because fees, levies, and exemptions can change — including a reported qualifying industrial-license exemption that can reduce the monthly levy — always treat the amount shown in the live transaction as the authoritative figure. When in doubt, confirm current rules and charges through the official government portals before completing any payment.

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