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High Priority
What is the immigration news? Saudi Arabia has eliminated the requirement that employers advertise jobs on the Taqat portal, allowing them to apply for block visas directly with the Ministry of Labor.
Additional information: Labor market testing has been mandatory since 2016, requiring employers to advertise jobs locally on the ministry’s Taqat portal before seeking work authorization for a foreign national. The change is intended to improve the process for employers.
BAL Analysis: The elimination of the Taqat job-posting requirement and reorganization of the systems are a major change in the work authorization process. Employers should anticipate overall faster timelines. Employers may apply for block visas for multiple job titles under one application. Only one application at a time may be requested with the Ministry of Labor and requirements will depend on whether the company is seeking initial block visas for the first time or seeking to expand the number of existing foreign employees. Employers who receive a reply on an application from the ministry must wait 30 days to submit their next application. Processing is supposed to take 3-7 days, but employers should anticipate delays extending beyond 10 days.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network partner Tools and Solutions in Saudi Arabia. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
IMPACT – HIGH
What is the change? Individuals traveling from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia on either a multiple-entry or a single-entry visit visa will be required to enter and exit Saudi Arabia using the specified mode of entry (air or land). The change has not been officially announced or confirmed by immigration authorities, but has been implemented and applied in practice.
What does the change mean? Previously, individuals living in Bahrain but working in Saudi Arabia were able to commute to Saudi Arabia for business purposes regardless of the specified mode of entry. Border immigration officials are now enforcing the mode-of-entry specification and are not allowing individuals with visit visas with the “air” mode of entry to go through the Bahrain-Saudi Arabia causeway except on an exceptional basis.
Analysis & Comments: When businesses are applying for a Saudi Arabian visit visa from a Gulf Cooperation Council country (excluding Qatar), they have an option to mark the mode of entry as “open” rather than the specified “air” or “land” mode of entry. For future visit visa applications, employers are encouraged to take note of this option to avoid delays when employees travel to Saudi Arabia.
Source: Deloitte LLP. Deloitte LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC303675 and its registered office at 1 New Street Square, London EC4A 3HQ, United Kingdom.
IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? Later this year, Saudi Arabia will introduce an electronic visitor visa for foreign nationals attending sporting events or concerts.
What does the change mean? The new visitor visa is restricted to foreign nationals traveling to Saudi Arabia for designated sporting or cultural events and cannot be used by business visitors or in lieu of other visas such as work, residency or pilgrimage visas.
Analysis & Comments: Employers and foreign nationals traveling to Saudi Arabia on business are reminded that they may not conduct business activities when traveling with the new visitor visa. The new visa is only for attending sporting events or concerts and is intended for tourism purposes. Additional updates will be provided as the visa is made available.
What is the change? Under a new policy scheduled to begin in September, foreign nationals will be required to register their rental housing agreement in the government’s Ejar network before they are able to obtain a work permit. The Ejar system standardizes rental agreements and procedures and allows tenants to pay rent electronically.
What does the change mean? Foreign nationals applying for new and renewal work permits will need to use the standardized rental form available through Ejar and then register the agreement in the system before applying for their work permit.
Background: The Ejar system recently introduced a standardized rental agreement form to be used for residential and commercial property leases. The form is intended to reduce the number of landlord-tenant disputes and create uniform procedures.
BAL Analysis: Employers should anticipate the introduction of the new requirement next month and factor in additional time to register their expatriate employees’ rental agreements as part of the work-permit application process. Authorities have not clarified details, such as whether leases naming the employer as the tenant will be accepted, but further announcements are expected in coming weeks.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider Tools & Solutions located in Saudi Arabia. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
What is the change? Saudi Arabia has ordered approximately 16,000 Saudi students in Canada to leave the country following a diplomatic dispute that erupted between the two countries last week.
What does the change mean? While there is no immediate impact on other Saudi nationals traveling to or living in Canada or to Canadian nationals traveling to or living in Saudi Arabia, the situation is fluid and visas could be impacted if the rift deepens.
Key points:
BAL Analysis: Saudi officials said Wednesday that they are considering additional retaliatory measures against Canada. BAL is watching developments and will inform clients of any changes that affect visas or work permits for Saudi and Canadian nationals. In the meantime, companies should account for all Saudi employees in Canada and Canadian employees in Saudi Arabia.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
What is the change? Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended visa processing for all visa types other than Hajj visas during the pilgrimage season. Some embassies and consulates may continue to accept visa applications until two days before the Eid holiday but will not process them until after the holiday break.
What does the change mean? Applicants for work visas, business visas and other types of visas will need to wait until after the Eid holiday, approximately Aug. 26, when processing resumes.
Background: Dhul Hijjah, or “month of pilgrimage,” is the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar during which pilgrims from around the world travel to Mecca to complete religious rites. The beginning of the month is not declared until the new moon is sighted, which is estimated to occur Sunday or Monday, Aug. 12 or 13. The EId al-Adha holiday follows on the 10th day of the lunar month and lasts for one to several days, depending on location.
BAL Analysis: Applicants should contact appropriate Saudi missions for individual schedules. Employers should factor in the processing suspension and anticipate a possible backlog and influx of applications when services resume after the holiday.
What is the change? Saudi Arabia is set to begin collecting an “expatriate fee” of 100 riyals (about US$27) per month for every foreign-worker dependent residing in the country.
What does the change mean? The new levy will apply to all foreign employees with dependents in Saudi Arabia, regardless of how many local employees their company employs. The levy is set increase to 200 riyals per month in 2018, 300 riyals per month in 2019 and 400 riyals per month in 2020.
BAL Analysis: The levies could increase the costs of doing business in Saudi Arabia, particularly for employers who choose to cover the levies for their employees. Employers should take note of the change and make sure their foreign employees are aware of the new charges.
Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman& Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
What is the change? Saudi Arabia has announced that it will provide visit visas valid for up to four years to French nationals.
What does the change mean? Effective immediately, French nationals will be eligible for four-year, multiple-entry visit visas. The previous maximum validity period for French nationals was two years. The visas are valid for stays of up to 90 days.
BAL Analysis: Officials hope the increased visa validity will boost business ties between Saudi Arabia and France. The change is welcome development for business travelers who frequently visit Saudi Arabia from France because they will not have to renew their visas as often.
Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
What is the change? Saudi Arabia’s increased visa fees will take effect Sunday.
What does the change mean? Visa applicants across categories will be subjected to the higher fees. The fee for a single-entry visit visa fee will increase to 2,000 Saudi riyals (about US$532) and new rates for multi-entry and exit re-entry visas be imposed based on duration of validity.
The new government visa fee schedule will be as follows:
Background: As BAL reported in August, government fees are consistent with Vision 2030, a 15-year economic plan to make the economy less oil-dependent and increase revenues in other areas, including through immigration fees.
BAL Analysis: The government visa fees increase the costs of sending expatriate workers to Saudi Arabia, and businesses should figure the new costs into their budgets.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in Saudi Arabia. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
Copyright © 2016 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
What is the change? The Saudi Cabinet has approved increases to government visa fees that will significantly raise costs for all visitors and for foreign employees living and working in the kingdom.
What does the change mean? Beginning in October, the government will increase the single-entry visit visa fee to 2,000 Saudi riyals (about US$533) and impose new visa fees for multi-entry and exit re-entry visas based on duration of validity.
Starting in October, the new government visa fee schedule is as follows:
The government has also amended the traffic regulations and increased the fines for driving violations.
Background: The government fees are consistent with Vision 2030, a 15-year economic plan to make the economy less oil-dependent and increase revenues in other areas, including through immigration fees. The new fees represent large hikes, as currently all visit visas are SR 500 (regardless of validity period), and exit re-entry visas are currently SR 200 for single re-entry or SR 500 for all multiple re-entry visas. Transit visas and departure visas are currently free.
BAL Analysis: The government visa fees raise the costs of sending expatriate workers to Saudi Arabia, and businesses should budget for the new costs.