Saudi Arabia has set conditions allowing employers to issue final exit visas for domestic workers during their 90-day probationary period, including in cases where the worker has not yet been issued a residency permit.
The General Directorate of Passports said the service is available electronically through the Absher platform, enabling employers to complete final exit procedures for eligible domestic workers while they are still within the probation period.
Under the conditions, the domestic worker must be inside Saudi Arabia when the final exit visa is issued and must not be registered as deceased or absent from work.
The worker must also have no outstanding traffic violations and hold a passport valid for at least 60 days.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development requires employers and domestic workers to sign a written employment contract, which may include a probationary period of up to 90 days.
The probation period allows employers to assess a domestic worker’s professional competence and conduct before continuing the employment relationship beyond the initial period.
Both the employer and the domestic worker can unilaterally terminate the employment contract during probation, subject to the applicable regulations.
A domestic worker cannot be placed on probation more than once with the same employer. An exception applies if both parties agree that the worker will take up a different role from the one covered by the original probationary period.
The latest rules provide employers with an electronic route to complete final exit procedures during probation, while setting specific eligibility requirements for the worker and travel document.