Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH - The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has clarified that all the arrears of work permit fee, expatriate fee and dependent’s fee, caused by the delay in the issuance and renewal of residency permit (iqama) linked to work permit, shall be paid altogether and there is no split payment allowed for these arrears at the time of renewal of iqama on a quarterly, half-yearly or nine-month period basis.

The ministry said that the fee for issuing work permit is SR100 per annum in addition to the expatriate fee. “There can be a split payment of the work permit fee together with the payment of the expatriate fee (financial compensation) and dependent’s fee on a quarterly, half-yearly or nine-month basis apart from the annual basis,” the ministry said in a statement in which it elaborated the modalities of these payments.

The ministry added that the expatriate fee is SR700 per month and SR8,400 annually for each expatriate who works at a company/establishment where the number of foreigners are less than the number of Saudis whereas the expatriate fee is SR800 per month and SR9,600 annually for each expatriate who works at an establishment where the number of foreigners are more than the number of Saudis.

The ministry said that the split payment of work permit fee can be made along with the expatriate fee and dependent’s fee on a quarterly basis. Accordingly, the quarterly payment of work permit is SR25 while expatriate fee is SR2100 and SR2400 respectively while the half yearly payment of work permit fee is SR50 whereas expatriate fee is SR4200 and SR4800 respectively. As for the nine-month period, the payment for work permit is SR75 while the payment for expatriate fee is SR6300 and SR7200 respectively. The monthly fee for all the categories of dependents and companions is amounted to SR400 each.

Regarding the late payment of the fee due to the delay in the renewal of iqama, the ministry clarified that companies and establishments need to pay firstly expatriate fee for the foreign workers for the period when their number is more than that of Saudis and then the fee for the period when the number of expatriates is less than that of Saudi employees.

For the split payment, expatriate fee and dependent’s fee will be calculated on a monthly basis and the payment shall be made under the unified number of the company/establishment. The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) announced earlier that expatriates can make the split payment of the fee through the updated government payments system available at all the Saudi local banks.

According to the recently updated government payments system, iqama fees can be paid on a quarterly- or half-yearly basis. This will facilitate completing the procedures of issuance and renewal of iqamas for the required period through the online platforms of Absher Business, Muqeem, and Qiwa under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.