Work Permit Grace Period Extended to End of 2026

Saudi Arabia has extended the grace period for correcting expired or unissued work permits for foreign workers until 31 December 2026, giving employers and expatriates additional time to regularise their status and avoid penalties. The extension, announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), replaces the earlier deadline of 30 June 2026.

The extension applies to two main groups: expatriate workers whose work permits expired more than 12 months ago, and workers who have not been issued a work permit within six months of joining an establishment. Both categories now have until the end of 2026 to complete renewal or first-time issuance.

However, a separate rule still takes effect from 1 July 2026. From that date, قوى will automatically remove workers from an establishment's records if their work permit has been expired for more than three months — unless the Iqama still holds at least 180 days of validity and expired before the work permit.

What employers and workers should do

Employers should log in to قوى to review all expatriate staff for expired or missing permits, then initiate renewal or first-time issuance and settle the relevant government fees before the deadline. Workers can check their own residency and permit status through أبشر, though renewal actions must be carried out by the employer.

If an employer fails to act within the grace period, workers can contact HRSD via the service line 19911 or through labour offices for clarification and support.

Key government fees relevant to rectification include Iqama issuance or renewal at around 51.75 ريال سعودي plus service fees for employees, and 600 ريال سعودي for domestic workers. The employer work permit levy is 800 ريال سعودي while the monthly dependent fee is 400 ريال سعودي

The extended timeline gives the community a clear window to settle outstanding permit issues before automatic removal and penalties apply after 31 December 2026.

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