2026 checked
Work Permit Fee Calculator Saudi Arabia
Estimate Qiwa work permit costs for Saudi establishments, including monthly levy tiers, exempt worker categories, and small-business discounts.
i
SAR 100/year is the work permit fee. SAR 700 or SAR 800/month is the separate monthly levy for billable workers.
Calculate Work Permit Fees
SAR 100/year is charged as the work permit fee. SAR 700 or SAR 800/month is the separate monthly levy for billable workers.
1
Enter your establishment headcount
From all establishments in your group. Exclude the business owner — enter separately below.
Business Owner Is the owner working full-time and registered in GOSI?
Answering Yes counts the owner toward the ≤9 employee threshold for the small-business discount.
Total Employees
0
2
How many non-Saudi employees belong to exempt categories?
These workers are excluded from the levy. Total exemptions cannot exceed total non-Saudis.
Note: Exempt employees cannot exceed the total number of non-Saudi employees.
Exempt worker categories
Private Expatriates
Citizen's husband · Citizen's wife · Son/daughter of a citizen
Nationalities Exempted from Deportation
Palestinian with Egyptian document · Balochi residents · Turkestan residents
Displaced Tribe Members
Holders of the five-year card (Saudi passport holders who are not Saudis)
Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council
Citizens of Kuwait · Qatar · Bahrain · Oman · UAE
Workers in Recruitment Companies
Rental of home workers
Working in Agriculture, Forestry, or Fishing
With a maximum of 6 expatriate workers on activity 1-5
Work Permit Payment
Estimated annual cost
SAR 0
Per year for your establishment
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Fee Breakdown
Work Permit Levy Rates
Official MHRSD / Qiwa rates
Monthly Levy by Nitaqat Status
Per non-Saudi worker · Paid by employer
| Scenario | Monthly Rate | Annual Rate | Quarterly | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expats exceed Saudi headcount | SAR 800 | SAR 9,600 | SAR 2,400 | Over Count |
| Expats equal or fewer than Saudis | SAR 700 | SAR 8,400 | SAR 2,100 | Equal Count |
| Industrial sector (valid license) | SAR 0 | SAR 0 | SAR 0 | Exempt |
| Domestic workers — Saudi employer | SAR 0 | SAR 0 | SAR 0 | First 4 free |
| Domestic workers — Non-Saudi employer | SAR 0 | SAR 0 | SAR 0 | First 2 free |
Under Saudi Labor Law Article 40, work permit costs are the employer's responsibility.
Work Permit Fee
Annual fee · Separate from the monthly levy
| Fee Type | Rate | Applies To | Paid By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic work permit fee | SAR 100 / worker | Non-Saudi workers | Employer |
This fee is listed separately from the monthly levy and is included in the calculator result.
Exempt Worker Categories
Not counted toward the levy
Exempt by Type
Worker categories with reduced or zero monthly levy
| Category | Description | Max | Exemption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Expatriates | Citizen's spouse or son/daughter of a Saudi citizen | No limit | Full Exempt |
| Nationalities Exempt from Deportation | Palestinians with Egyptian documents, Balochi residents, Turkestan residents | No limit | Full Exempt |
| Displaced Tribe Members | Five-year card holders (Saudi passport but not Saudi nationals) | No limit | Full Exempt |
| GCC Citizens | Citizens of Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the UAE | No limit | Full Exempt |
| Recruitment Company Workers | Domestic/home worker rental through licensed recruitment companies | No limit | Full Exempt |
| Agriculture / Forestry / Fishing | Workers in ISIC activity codes 1–5 | Max 6 | Up to 6 |
| Domestic Workers (Saudi employer) | Housekeepers, private drivers, home guards — Saudi employer | First 4 free | Partial |
| Domestic Workers (Non-Saudi employer) | Housekeepers, private drivers, home guards — non-Saudi employer | First 2 free | Partial |
| Industrial Sector | Companies holding a valid Industrial License (Cabinet decision Dec 2025) | All workers | Full Exempt |
Total exempt workers by type cannot exceed the total non-Saudi headcount.
Small-Business Discount
Auto-applied · Extended until March 2027
| Establishment Size | Owner GOSI | Saudi Employees | Expats Exempt |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤ 9 total employees | Yes | ≥ 1 Saudi (GOSI registered) | Up to 4 Tier B |
| ≤ 9 total employees | Yes | No Saudi employees | Up to 2 Tier A |
| ≤ 9 total employees | No | Any | 0 — No discount |
| > 9 total employees | Any | Any | 0 — No discount |
The owner counts toward the 9-employee threshold only when registered full-time in GOSI. The calculator applies the discount tier from your inputs.
Understanding Work Permit Fees in Saudi Arabia
E
Employer Obligation
Saudi Labor Law Article 40 places work permit costs on the employer. These costs should not be deducted from employee salary.
R
Nitaqat-Linked Rates
The rate depends on the Saudi-to-non-Saudi headcount. Billable workers up to the Saudi count use SAR 700/month; billable workers above it use SAR 800/month.
I
Industrial Exemption
Industrial establishments with a valid qualifying license may be exempt from the monthly financial equivalent. Confirm eligibility in Qiwa before payment.
SB
Small Business Discount
Establishments with 9 or fewer employees may qualify when the owner is registered full-time in GOSI. The estimate applies the relevant 2-worker or 4-worker tier.
D
Domestic Worker Partial Exemption
Domestic worker rules depend on employer type. Saudi employers generally receive a higher exempt threshold than non-Saudi employers.
How the Work Permit Fee Is Calculated
The estimate has two parts: SAR 100/year work permit fee per non-Saudi worker, and the monthly levy for each billable non-Saudi worker.
The calculator first removes exempt workers from the monthly levy, then splits the remaining billable non-Saudis between the SAR 700 and SAR 800 monthly tiers. Both fee components are shown separately in the result.
What Is Nitaqat and How Does It Affect the Fee?
- Equal or lower non-Saudi count: Billable non-Saudis up to the Saudi headcount are charged at SAR 700 per month.
- Above Saudi count: Billable non-Saudis exceeding the Saudi headcount are charged at SAR 800 per month.
- The Qiwa platform automatically calculates and displays your Nitaqat status based on current headcount.
- Employers pay via SADAD using the invoice number generated by Qiwa. Minimum payment period is 3 months (quarterly).
Who Is Exempt from the Levy?
- Exempt by type: GCC nationals, private expatriates (spouses/children of citizens), nationalities exempt from deportation, displaced tribe members, recruitment company workers, and agriculture/fishing workers (max 6 on activity codes 1–5).
- Domestic workers: The levy is partially exempt based on employer type. For Saudi employers, the levy applies from the 5th domestic worker onwards. For non-Saudi employers, it applies from the 3rd domestic worker onwards.
- Small-business discount: Establishments with 9 or fewer total employees may qualify when the owner is registered full-time in GOSI.
- Industrial sector: Qualifying industrial establishments may be exempt from the monthly financial equivalent. Confirm status in Qiwa.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The estimate has two parts: SAR 100/year work permit fee per non-Saudi worker, plus the monthly levy for billable non-Saudi workers. The calculator applies SAR 700/month up to the Saudi employee count and SAR 800/month for billable workers above that count.
The rate depends on the comparison between Saudi employees and billable non-Saudi employees. Billable workers up to the Saudi headcount use SAR 700/month. Billable workers above the Saudi headcount use SAR 800/month. Both rates can apply in the same estimate.
Exemptions may include GCC nationals, private expatriates, certain nationalities exempt from deportation, displaced tribe members, recruitment company workers, and up to 6 agriculture/fishing workers. Some small businesses and qualifying industrial establishments may also receive exemptions. Confirm final eligibility in Qiwa.
The work permit cost is the employer's responsibility under Saudi Labor Law Article 40. It should not be deducted from the employee's salary.
The calculator applies two tiers for establishments with 9 or fewer total employees when the owner is registered full-time in GOSI: up to 2 exempt non-Saudi workers when there are no Saudi employees, or up to 4 when there is at least one Saudi employee.
Qualifying industrial establishments may be exempt from the monthly financial equivalent while the relevant license and platform eligibility remain valid. Always confirm the establishment status in Qiwa before relying on the estimate.
Yes. The minimum payment period is 3 months. Payment options are 3, 6, 9, or 12 months through SADAD using the invoice generated on Qiwa. The SAR 100 work permit fee is also divided with the selected license period.
Non-payment can affect work permit issuance or renewal and related residence procedures. Check the Qiwa invoice and establishment compliance status for the official position.
Disclaimer: This calculator is an informational estimate based on published Qiwa/MHRSD fee components. Actual invoices may differ by establishment status, license period, eligibility decisions, and platform updates. Always confirm the final amount in Qiwa or the relevant official service before payment.