Saudi Arabia has introduced more flexible residency permit options for domestic workers, allowing employers to issue or renew iqamas for periods starting at three months.
The Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Passports, or Jawazat, launched the service in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Musaned platform. The facility is available digitally through Absher.
Employers can select permit periods of three, six, nine, 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 months. Previously, residency permits for domestic workers and comparable categories could be issued or renewed only for one or two years.
Employers can pay for the selected period
Under the new system, residency fees are calculated according to the period selected by the employer. This enables households to pay in three-month intervals rather than committing to an annual or two-year payment at one time.
The Ministry of Interior said the change is intended to give beneficiaries greater flexibility in managing financial obligations while improving the efficiency of residency-related services.
For household employers, the shorter option can help align residency expenditure more closely with the expected duration of an employment arrangement. It may be particularly useful when a contract is approaching completion or the worker’s longer-term employment status is uncertain.
However, more frequent renewal cycles will also require closer monitoring of permit expiry dates. Employers choosing three- or six-month terms will need to ensure renewals are completed on time to prevent gaps in a worker’s legal residency status.
Shorter permits do not reduce employer obligations
The change concerns the duration and payment cycle for residency permits. It does not remove the employer’s existing responsibilities towards domestic workers.
Saudi Arabia’s domestic-worker regulations require the employer to bear residency and work-permit fees, renewal expenses and any penalties resulting from the employer’s actions. Employers must also provide suitable accommodation and food or an allowance, pay wages monthly and avoid retaining workers’ passports or identification documents.
The regulations further prohibit employers from assigning domestic workers to another employer, requiring them to work in a different occupation or exposing them to dangerous work, forced labour, abuse or discrimination.
This means the availability of a quarterly iqama should be treated as an administrative and cash-flow option rather than a substitute for a properly documented employment relationship.
Reform adds to digitalisation of domestic employment
The residency change is the latest step in Saudi Arabia’s wider effort to move domestic-worker administration onto integrated digital platforms.
Musaned already provides services covering recruitment, contract management, worker transfers and salary payments. The platform says it has served more than four million users.
Since January 1, 2026, all household employers have also been required to transfer domestic workers’ salaries through approved electronic channels. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said the measure was introduced to document wage payments, improve transparency and protect both parties in the event of a dispute.
Together, electronic salary records and more flexible residency renewals give employers greater control over administrative processes while creating clearer digital records of the employment relationship.
For domestic workers, the effectiveness of the new system will depend on whether shorter permit terms are renewed promptly and remain aligned with valid employment contracts. For employers, the flexibility comes with a need for stronger compliance discipline, particularly when permits are renewed several times within a year.