GOSI, Qiwa and Muqeem registration, so your company can hire legally.

The General Organization for Social Insurance, which runs social insurance for private-sector employees in Saudi Arabia.

Every employer does, and registers each employee, Saudi or foreign. Occupational hazards cover applies to all workers regardless of nationality.

The employer pays 2% of the contributory wage for occupational hazards. Nothing is deducted from the employee.

For Saudis who contributed before 3 July 2024: 11.75% from the employer and 9.75% from the employee, 21.5% in total. For Saudis contributing for the first time from that date, the rates from 1 July 2026 are 12.75% and 10.75%, 23.5% in total.

A new Social Insurance Law took effect for Saudis with no earlier contribution periods. Their pension rate started at 9% on each side and rises 0.5 points every 1 July from 2025, reaching 11% on each side in July 2028. Saudis who were already contributing stay on the old rates.

The contributory wage: basic salary plus housing allowance, capped at SAR 45,000 a month.

Monthly. Contributions for one month are due within the first 15 days of the next, and the law adds a fine of 2% of the unpaid amount for each month of delay.

Saudi unemployment insurance. Since 1 January 2022 it takes 1.5% of a Saudi employee’s contributory wage, split 0.75% employer and 0.75% employee.

If the owner is employed by the company, for example as general manager, yes.

The Ministry of Human Resources’ platform for the company’s labour file: permits, contracts, transfers and Nitaqat status.

After the CR and MISA registration.

An authorised account manager. MISA’s guide notes some services need a Saudi authorised representative registered as user or account manager.

Get the work visa through Qiwa, bring the employee in, issue the permit and Iqama, document the contract and register them with GOSI. See investor visa and Iqama for the residency side.

A monthly charge for each foreign employee, set per head rather than as a share of salary. The rate is lower where foreign staff don’t outnumber Saudis. The Cabinet has also approved cancelling the levy for foreign workers in licensed industrial establishments, so an industrial licence changes this line.

Yes. The establishment’s Nitaqat band appears on Qiwa under Establishment Assessment, and the band decides which services the company can use.

Yes, documented on Qiwa, matching the GOSI wage.

Yes, by transferring their services through Qiwa with their consent.

Yes, through Qiwa’s occupation change service.

A visa for general manager, CEO or chairman roles, supported by MISA’s services. See investor visa and Iqama.

The Saudization programme that sets targets for Saudi staff by activity and company size and places employers in colour bands, with Red at the bottom.

Yes, from its first hires.

Services such as new work visas and transfers can be restricted.

Yes, certain professions and activities are localised. We check your roles.

Yes. See regional headquarters.

A 100% foreign trading company trains 30% of its Saudi staff each year. See trading licence.

Not always. Nitaqat has rules on how different employment types and wages count, which we check for your plan.

By planning the mix of Saudi and foreign hires before the first visa is filed.

To issue and renew foreign employees’ Iqamas and travel visas without visiting a passports office.

Iqama issue and renewal, exit and re-entry visas, final exits and record updates.

The company subscribes and authorises users.

No. Absher is mainly for individuals; Muqeem is the business platform.

No. Companies subscribe to Muqeem, and each transaction carries its own government fee.

A final exit visa is issued and GOSI and Qiwa records closed.

A replacement is issued; a fine can apply.

The employer insures its staff, and foreign employees can’t get an Iqama without the policy.

The Ministry of Human Resources’ Wage Protection Program: employers upload a monthly wage file on the Mudad platform showing each employee’s salary payment.

Yes, generally by bank transfer from the company’s corporate bank account, with the wage file on Mudad.

A payment due when employment ends, based on service length and wage under the Labour Law.

Yes. The Labour Law entitlement applies to foreign and Saudi employees alike.

Yes. The Labour Law sets working hours and overtime pay, and it sets leave entitlements too.

Your HR team or a payroll provider; we handle the government side.

Days to a few weeks once the CR and MISA records are clean.

Records check, GOSI, Qiwa, permits and contracts, then Muqeem and payroll.

Much of it, with authorised users arranged with you. Where a visit is needed, our own employee in Saudi Arabia attends.

We compare the wage, job title and status each platform holds for every employee, then correct the mismatches at the source.

Qiwa and municipal licensing expect suitable premises for staff, so plan them alongside the first hires.

A Saudi company can exist without staff, but banks and most transactions need at least a resident manager.

No. Accurate records and a calendar matter more for a small team. Our PRO and compliance service keeps that calendar if you want it kept for you.

Yes, from visa to Iqama and GOSI.

The general manager, so the company has a resident signatory. See corporate bank accounts for why banks care.