RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has begun a two-month nationwide initiative allowing eligible Yemeni workers to correct their residency and employment status, opening a route for those with expired permits or absence-from-work reports to transfer to new employers.
The programme started on October 11, 2026, and applies across all regions of the Kingdom. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said workers covered by the initiative must hold valid travel documents and meet the approved conditions.
Applications Move Through Digital Platforms
Eligible workers whose residency permits have expired can transfer their services to employers requiring their skills. Transfers for professional workers are handled through Qiwa, while Musaned processes applications for domestic and support workers.
Both platforms operate in coordination with Absher. According to the ministry, the electronic process allows eligible workers and employers to complete the required procedures without visiting government offices.
Workers with absence reports can also use the correction process to have those reports cancelled and move to another employer, subject to the relevant requirements.
Outstanding Work Permit Charges Waived for Eligible Transfers
A financial exemption forms part of the arrangements for qualifying professional workers. Gulf News reported, citing Qiwa, that outstanding work permit levies will be cancelled when an eligible Yemeni worker transfers to a new establishment.
New work permit charges will be calculated from the transfer date, meaning the receiving employer will not have to cover accumulated levies from earlier periods.
The reported Qiwa provisions include Yemeni professional workers recorded as absent before June 16, 2026. Employers using this route must arrange a virtual appointment through the platform’s designated service and complete the transfer under the approved conditions.
Initiative Follows Saudi Royal Directives
The launch follows an October 5 announcement by the Ministry of Interior that Saudi Arabia would regularise the status of Yemeni nationals residing irregularly in the Kingdom.
The decision was issued under directives from King Salman following a request from Dr. Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council.
Implementation involves several government bodies, including the ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, and Human Resources and Social Development, alongside the Saudi Data and AI Authority. The initial announcement identified a valid Yemeni passport as an essential requirement for residency regularisation.
Yemeni Government Welcomes the Decision
Yemen’s government welcomed the Saudi initiative, describing it as an extension of the Kingdom’s humanitarian support and the longstanding relationship between the two countries.
In a statement reported by Saudi Gazette, the Yemeni Council of Ministers thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It said the measure reflected a partnership that extended beyond political and economic cooperation to support Yemeni citizens directly.
Focus on Regulated Employment Transfers
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said the coordinated process is intended to simplify status correction, improve labour market efficiency and protect the rights of workers and employers.
Applications remain subject to the conditions established for each eligible category during the two-month correction period.
