Muqeem Portal Explained for Expats & Employers

The Muqeem portal is one of the most important digital tools for any establishment that sponsors expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia. It is the employer-facing platform where companies and their authorized representatives handle the immigration side of residency: issuing and renewing iqamas, requesting exit and re-entry visas, processing final-exit visas, updating passport data, and pulling official reports. In this Saudi Living guide, we break down how Muqeem works, what it costs, and how it fits alongside the government fees you also need to pay.

What Muqeem Is and Who Uses It

Muqeem is designed for employers and establishments, not for individuals directly. Companies and authorized establishment representatives log in through the official Muqeem portal to manage the residency and travel transactions of the workers under their sponsorship.

Expatriates themselves generally don't use Muqeem to submit transactions. Instead, residents use Absher Individuals to view their own resident, visa, and travel information. In practice, the two systems work together: the employer processes the transaction in Muqeem, and the outcome (such as a new iqama expiry date) appears in both Muqeem and Absher.

Muqeem Annual Subscription

Access to Muqeem is based on an annual subscription, and the price scales with the number of residents under the establishment's sponsorship:

• 0–9 residents: SAR 1,100
• 10–49 residents: SAR 2,300
• 50–99 residents: SAR 3,600
• 100–199 residents: SAR 5,600
• 200–800 residents: SAR 7,550
• 801 or more residents: SAR 11 per resident

This subscription is separate from any government immigration charges. It simply covers your establishment's access to the platform.

Muqeem Service Charges

Beyond the subscription, individual transactions on Muqeem carry their own service charges. Common ones include:

• Passport-information update: SAR 60
• Mecca resident-entry permit: SAR 50
• Iqama printing: SAR 15
• Muqeem report: SAR 25
• Visit-visa extension: SAR 50
• Emergency-residency extension: SAR 90
• Final-exit visa during probation: SAR 60
• Additional portal user: SAR 150

Government Charges You Also Need to Budget

The Muqeem subscription and service charges are only one layer of cost. Separately, employers settle government charges for residency and work permits, typically through SADAD. These commonly include:

• Employee iqama fee: SAR 650 per year
• Domestic-worker iqama renewal: SAR 600 per year
• Dependent levy: SAR 400 per dependent per month, where applicable
• Work-permit levy: commonly SAR 800 per worker per month, depending on the establishment and worker classification
• Single exit/re-entry visa: SAR 200 for the initial period, plus SAR 100 for each additional month
• Multiple exit/re-entry visa: SAR 500 for three months
• Sponsorship transfer: SAR 2,000 for the first transfer

Because rates and eligibility vary by establishment size, worker category, and current regulations, always confirm the exact amounts on the official government portals before you pay.

How an Employer Completes a Transaction

The general workflow for most Muqeem transactions is straightforward once you know the sequence:

• Settle any outstanding government bills through SADAD.
• Make sure the worker's passport and iqama data are valid and up to date.
• Meet the work-permit and insurance requirements for that worker.
• Select the relevant transaction in Muqeem (renewal, exit/re-entry, final exit, etc.).
• Confirm and complete payment.

Keep in mind that the Muqeem subscription payment is handled separately from government immigration payments made through SADAD.

Iqama Renewal and Exit Visas: Key Points

An iqama renewal is generally issued for the period covered by the paid residency, work-permit, insurance, and related obligations. That means the exact expiry date depends on what has been settled — and you can always verify it in both Muqeem and Absher.

For travel, exit/re-entry visas must be used before their stated expiry date, so plan trips accordingly. A final-exit visa is different: it ends the resident's employment-based residency altogether, so it should only be issued when the working relationship is genuinely concluding.

When in doubt about any fee, deadline, or eligibility rule, confirm the details directly on the official Muqeem and Absher portals, as figures and requirements can change.

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