A message lands on your phone. A recruiter says a company in Riyadh wants someone with your experience, the salary is tax free, and they need your passport copy by tonight. It might be the break you have been waiting for. It might also be a job your nationality can no longer hold, or an agent you should never pay.
You would not be the first to make the move. India's Ministry of External Affairs puts the Indian community in Saudi Arabia at approximately 2.7 million people. The ones who do well understand the rules before they sign.
Last checked: 8 October 2026.
How hiring from India works
Saudi hiring is employer led. A Saudi company decides to hire you, secures the right to bring in a foreign worker, and sponsors your work visa and residence. Offers usually reach you in one of three ways:
- Direct hiring by the employer, through its careers page or a referral.
- A registered Indian recruiting agent working on the employer's demand, common in trades, healthcare and construction.
- An intra-company move where your current employer has a Saudi entity.
The MEA has long advised that a visit visa does not give you the right to work. If anyone suggests you fly in on a visit visa and "convert it later", treat that as a serious warning sign.
Saudisation and Nitaqat: which jobs are closing
Saudisation requires private employers to hire a set share of Saudi nationals. It runs through Nitaqat, meaning "bands", which rates employers as platinum, three shades of green, or red. According to the law firm Al Tamimi, a low green employer cannot apply for new visas, and a red employer also cannot issue or renew work permits for non-Saudi staff.
Professions with high or full Saudisation rates
As summarised by Al Tamimi (September 2026) and Clyde and Co (February 2026):
- Administrative support: 69 professions at 100 percent, with the final grace period ending on 4 October 2026.
- Procurement: 70 percent where three or more people work in these roles.
- Marketing and sales: 60 percent where three or more people work in these roles.
- Engineering: 30 percent for firms with five or more engineers, with Saudi Council of Engineers accreditation required.
- Project management: 70 percent from 14 February 2027.
A rate below 100 percent does not shut the door, but competition is sharper. Ask the recruiter plainly whether your job title falls under a localisation decision.
From offer to iqama
The sequence varies, but broadly:
- The employer secures visa and work permit authorisation through government platforms, including Qiwa, the labour services platform of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD).
- You complete checks in India, usually a medical at an approved centre, biometrics and attested certificates.
- Your visa is stamped and, if your passport is ECR, you obtain emigration clearance on eMigrate.
- You arrive and complete a further medical and biometric registration.
- Your iqama is issued. This residence card comes under the Ministry of Interior and is tied to your employer.
Saudi authorities have repeatedly warned employers against keeping workers' passports. Keep yours, along with copies of your visa and contract.
What to check in a Saudi offer
Salary components
Offers are usually basic salary plus allowances, most often housing and transport. Ask which components count towards your end-of-service benefit. Since labour law amendments took effect on 19 February 2025, employers must provide accommodation and transport or equivalent compensation. Get the split in writing.
End-of-service benefit
The MHRSD explains that the end-of-service award is half a month's wage for each of the first five years and one month's wage for each later year, based on your final wage. If you resign, it is reduced:
- Under two years: no award.
- Two to five years: one third.
- More than five and fewer than ten years: two thirds.
Your contract on Qiwa
Contracts are generated electronically on Qiwa and you accept yours through a link. In April 2026 the MHRSD tied employers' access to immigration and labour services to the share of contracts documented on Qiwa. Check that your Qiwa contract matches the offer you accepted in India, line by line, before you accept it.
Probation and notice
Probation can now run up to 180 days and must be stated in the contract. On open-ended contracts, notice is 30 days if you resign and 60 days if the employer ends it.
eMigrate and ECR: the Indian side
Saudi Arabia is on India's Emigration Check Required (ECR) list. If your passport is marked ECR and you are going for work, you need emigration clearance through eMigrate before you leave.
- Insurance: the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana is mandatory for ECR workers, with cover of up to 10 lakh rupees at a premium of 275 rupees for two years or 375 rupees for three.
- Employer registration: foreign employers must register on eMigrate before recruiting from India.
- ECNR holders: registration is voluntary but gives access to insurance benefits.
Under the Emigration Act 1983, nobody may act as a recruiting agent without a valid registration certificate. MEA advisories cap the service charge at 30,000 rupees plus 18 percent GST, with a receipt.
Recruitment scam warning signs
Indian missions warn about these patterns:
- The agent works mostly through WhatsApp, Facebook or text, with no verifiable office.
- You are asked for 2 to 5 lakh rupees, often without a receipt.
- You are told to travel on a tourist or visit visa.
- There is no contract signed by the employer, the agent and you.
- The agent's licence is missing from the list of active recruiting agents on eMigrate.
The MEA reports that 3,505 illegal agents had been notified on eMigrate as of 9 April 2026. Check that list before paying anyone. The Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra helpline is 1800 11 3090.
Prepare for the role, not only the paperwork
The visa is half the move. The other half is showing a Saudi panel you can do the job from day one. On MinTraq you can set a Career Journey for the exact role, company and city you want, such as a project engineer in Riyadh. Assessments built for that role and level show where you are ready and where the gaps are. Each gap gets personalised learning, with audio for your commute. The Interview Prep Kit for a specific company covers its interview process and local pay, which helps you judge an offer's salary split. You can then rehearse aloud in a practice interview with Mira before the real call. Start free on MinTraq.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa and look for a job?
You should not. India's Ministry of External Affairs states that a visit visa does not give the right to work and is not covered by Saudi labour law. Saudi hiring is employer led, so the company sponsors your work visa before you travel. Any agent who suggests converting a visit visa later is a red flag and worth reporting.
Which jobs are reserved for Saudi nationals in 2026?
Administrative support roles, covering 69 professions, carry a 100 percent Saudisation rate, as do housing supervisor and spa administration roles. Many other fields have high partial rates, including procurement at 70 percent, marketing and sales at 60 percent and engineering at 30 percent. Rates and thresholds change often, so confirm your exact job title with the employer.
How is end-of-service benefit calculated in Saudi Arabia?
According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, you earn half a month's wage for each of the first five years and a full month's wage for each later year, based on your final wage. If you resign, you get nothing under two years, one third between two and five years, and two thirds between five and ten years.
Do I need emigration clearance to work in Saudi Arabia?
Only if your passport is marked ECR. Saudi Arabia is on India's ECR country list, so ECR passport holders going there for work must obtain emigration clearance on the eMigrate portal and buy Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana insurance. ECNR passport holders do not need clearance but can register voluntarily on eMigrate to access insurance benefits.
How much can a recruitment agent legally charge me?
Indian government advisories cap the service charge a registered recruiting agent may collect at 30,000 rupees plus 18 percent GST, and the agent must give you a receipt. Demands of 2 to 5 lakh rupees are a recognised scam pattern. Check the agent's licence against the list of active recruiting agents on the eMigrate portal before paying anything.
Sources and disclaimer
This article is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Saudi localisation rates, visa procedures and Indian emigration rules change often. Confirm the current position with the employer, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the official portals before you sign or pay.
Sources: Ministry of External Affairs, India-Saudi Arabia Bilateral Brief, April 2025. Ministry of External Affairs, Overview of Work of Overseas Employment, April 2026. Ministry of External Affairs, Pre-Departure Orientation for Saudi Arabia, undated. Indian Mission, Advisory on overcharging by agents for overseas recruitment, undated. Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, end-of-service award guidance, accessed October 2026. Al Tamimi, Saudi Arabia's 2026 to 2027 Saudisation Overview, September 2026. Clyde and Co, The first Saudisation updates of 2026, February 2026. Clyde and Co, Electronic Employment Contracts through Qiwa, May 2023. EY, Qiwa contract rules tax alert, April 2026. King and Spalding, Amendments to the Saudi Labor Law Approved, 2024. Argaam, employer passport retention warning, 2018. Middle East Briefing, What is the Iqama, August 2025.