Qiwa: Absent Workers May Transfer Jobs After 12 Months

Expatriate professional employees whose status is recorded as “absent from work” may now transfer to a new employer through قوى, provided they meet updated eligibility requirements. The status-correction initiative took effect on 18 September 2025 and continued to apply in 2026 for eligible professional workers.

Eligibility covers workers whose status was changed to “absent from work” due to an absence report, a work-interruption report, or the termination of a contractual relationship. To qualify, the worker must have completed at least 12 consecutive months in Saudi Arabia before the work discontinuation or contract expiry.

The transfer is initiated by the new employer through قوى, while the worker reviews and accepts the employment offer or contract through their own قوى account. The new employer is responsible for settling the worker’s outstanding employment-permit fees and any applicable late fees. Once the requirements are completed and fees are paid, the worker’s employment status is corrected under the new employer.

The 60-day window

A worker initially recorded as disconnected from work generally has 60 days to transfer to another employer, renew or regularize the employment relationship, or leave Saudi Arabia before being classified as “absent from work.” Acting within this period helps workers avoid a more serious status change.

No fixed transfer fee was stated in the available 2026 information; the amount payable depends on the worker’s outstanding employment-permit and late-fee balance shown in قوى. The information also does not specify a new validity period for the residence permit or work permit after transfer, as renewal and issuance remain subject to applicable government requirements.

The rule is handled through قوى and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. For the community, it offers a clearer path for professional workers to regularize their status and continue working legally in the Kingdom.

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