Saudi Arabia limits new firms to 5 Qiwa instant work visas

Qiwa caps instant work visas at 5 for sub-2-year-old Saudi firms

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development limited companies under two years old to a maximum of five instant work visas through the Qiwa platform, the ministry confirmed this week. Firms newly enrolled in the Establishment Programme start with just two visas and can grow that quota toward the five-visa ceiling by improving their Saudisation score.

Established companies older than two years remain eligible to request up to 50 instant work visas per week, provided they meet Qiwa's compliance conditions. Instant work visas are employer-sponsored permits issued online without a labor-office visit, used to recruit foreign workers from abroad.

Who feels the squeeze

Early-stage Saudi entities in construction, logistics, retail, tech and services lose the ability to mass-hire foreign staff through this fast-track channel in their first 24 months. Foreign founders registering a Saudi company should plan for a core imported team of two to five people until the firm crosses the two-year mark.

Expat professionals weighing offers may find sponsorship steadier at older, Nitaqat-compliant employers, where the 50-per-week ceiling still applies. Tourist, transit and religious visit visas fall outside this rule, so short-term travelers see no change. Saudi Arabia doesn't treat the instant work visa as a remote-work or nomad permit, so independent remote workers without a Saudi sponsor are unaffected.

What employers need to clear

To draw from the instant-visa quota, a company must meet roughly ten Qiwa conditions, including:

• Active status in government systems and a valid Commercial Registration
• Placement in the Medium Green Nitaqat band or higher
• Full compliance with the Wage Protection System, with no open labor violations
• Valid work permits for all current employees and assigned work locations in Qiwa
• Sufficient credit on Absher or Muqeem to cover government fees
• Completed annual self-assessment for firms with 10 or more employees
• A responsible person aged 18 or older

The cap is already in force. Employers should confirm available quota in Qiwa before extending offers and candidates negotiating with young Saudi startups should ask directly whether an instant visa slot remains.

Read our full Saudi Arabia guide for the complete picture or browse more visa updates for the region.