Saudi Employment Visa Consultant in Dubai
Saudi Employment Visa from Dubai: Requirements, Cost, Process & Stamping
Received a job offer from a Saudi company while living in Dubai? In most cases you can complete the Saudi employment visa process from the UAE, without travelling to your home country first.
What matters is that your Saudi employer has secured a visa authorisation for you, your documents are verified and attested in the right order, and your nationality and profession are accepted by the Saudi mission that handles your file.
Quick Facts
Saudi Employment Visa at a Glance
VisaZest is a Dubai-based visa consultancy. This guide explains how the process works, what each step involves, how long it realistically takes and where applications usually get stuck. Go deeper with our detailed guides on Saudi employment visa requirements, Saudi employment visa cost and Saudi employment visa processing time.
| Item | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Visa type | Employment (work) visa. After arrival it leads to an Iqama, the Saudi residence permit. |
| Who sponsors it | Your Saudi employer, through Qiwa (MHRSD) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). |
| Who can apply from Dubai | UAE residents with a confirmed Saudi job offer. Nationality and profession rules apply. |
| Key documents | Passport, photos, attested employment contract, visa authorisation, Wafid medical, police clearance and verified qualifications. |
| Typical timeline | About 2 to 4 weeks when documents are ready. Longer if attestation or QVP is pending. |
| Who normally pays | Under Saudi labour rules, generally the employer. Confirm in your offer letter. |
| VisaZest service fee | Starts from AED 5,500. May vary depending on the profession. |
Overview
What Is a Saudi Employment Visa?
A Saudi employment visa, also called a Saudi work visa, is the entry visa that lets a foreign professional enter the Kingdom to take up a full-time job with a Saudi employer. It is issued against a real job.
Your employer first obtains approval from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development through the Qiwa platform , and a visa authorisation is then issued through the Saudi visa platform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs . After you land, your employer converts the visa into an Iqama, which gives you the legal right to live and work in the Kingdom.
The programme sits inside Saudi Arabia's wider push to build a skilled workforce under Vision 2030 , which is why verification of qualifications and employer compliance are now checked more carefully than before.
Quick Facts
Saudi Multiple Entry Visa at a Glance
VisaZest also arranges multiple entry visas for clients who travel to Saudi Arabia repeatedly for business or work. Apply through the official MOFA Visa Platform or the Saudi eVisa Portal.
| Item | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Validity | Up to 1 year from issue date, multiple entries allowed within that period. |
| Stay per visit | Usually up to 90 days per entry, depending on visa category. |
| Best for | Frequent business travel, project visits, and family visits without re-applying each trip. |
Eligibility
Can You Apply for a Saudi Employment Visa from Dubai?
Usually yes, if all four of these are true:
Visa Comparison
Employment Visa vs Other Saudi Visas
| Visa | Purpose | Paid work? | Iqama? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment visa | Full-time job with a Saudi employer | Yes | Yes | Attested contract, visa authorisation, medical, verified qualifications |
| Temporary work visit visa | Short assignments and projects, arranged by the sponsoring employer | Yes, short term for the sponsor | No | Multiple entry, valid for 1 year, with short work stays |
| Business visit visa | Meetings, conferences, negotiations | No | No | Needs an invitation from a Saudi company |
| Tourist / eVisa | Leisure and family visits | No | No | Applied online |
Our Process
Saudi Employment Visa Process from Dubai, Step by Step
Sign your employment contract
Your contract should state your job title, salary and terms. For most private-sector employers it must be attested by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and MOFA before it can support your visa file. Check that the job title matches exactly what your employer enters on Qiwa and MOFA. Mismatched job titles are a common cause of refusal.
Your employer obtains the visa authorisation
Your employer requests a work visa through Qiwa. Once approved, MOFA issues a visa authorisation number linked to your name and profession. Ask your employer for this number early. Without it, no legitimate agency can move your file forward.
Verify your qualifications
Most professional applicants must prove that their degree and experience are genuine and match the job. Depending on your nationality and role, this may mean the Qualification Verification Program (QVP) or degree attestation through Mosadaqa. Read our guide to Saudi visa attestation to see which route fits you.
Complete the Wafid (GAMCA) medical
You must pass the Gulf medical examination before your visa can be processed. Book only through the official Wafid portal. See our step-by-step page on the Saudi GAMCA medical test.
Get your police clearance
Obtain a police clearance certificate from the UAE authorities, for example through Dubai Police if you live in Dubai. Depending on your nationality and time abroad, a certificate from your home country may also be needed. The certificate usually has to be recent, so do not collect it too early.
Attest your documents
Certificates often need attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi mission, depending on where they were issued. Sequence matters. Attesting in the wrong order is one of the most common reasons for repeat work.
Submit your application and get the visa stamped
Once your file is complete, the application is submitted to the Saudi mission or its authorised visa centre for biometrics and stamping. Learn what to expect in our guide to Saudi work visa stamping.
Travel and complete your Iqama
After arrival, your employer completes your Iqama through the government systems, including Absher . Keep your passport, contract and medical copies with you until the Iqama is issued.
Requirements
Saudi Employment Visa Requirements
Exact requirements vary by nationality, profession and mission. This checklist covers what most applicants from Dubai are asked for. Our full guide to Saudi employment visa requirements goes deeper.
| Document | What to check | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months (some missions ask for more) with at least 2 blank pages, good condition | Your embassy in the UAE |
| Photos | Recent, colour, white background, size as per the mission's specification | Photo studio |
| UAE residence visa and Emirates ID | Valid, with enough time remaining | Your current records |
| Visa authorisation number | Matches your name, nationality and job title exactly | Your Saudi employer |
| Employment contract | Signed, with job title, salary and terms. Attested by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and MOFA | Your Saudi employer |
| Employer commercial registration | Up to date | Your Saudi employer |
| Wafid medical fitness report | Fit result, within its validity period | Wafid accredited centre |
| Police clearance certificate | Recent and in the required format | UAE police authority and, if required, home country |
| Qualification proof | QVP certificate or attested degree, plus experience letters where requested | PACC / QVP portal, university, attestation authorities |
Cost
Saudi Employment Visa Cost
There is no single fixed price, because the total depends on your nationality, profession, documents and who is paying. Here is how the costs are usually made up. For a deeper breakdown see our guide to Saudi employment visa cost.
| Cost item | Who normally pays | What affects the amount |
|---|---|---|
| Visa authorisation and ministry fees | Employer | Set by Saudi authorities for the employer's quota |
| Visa or stamping fee at the mission or visa centre | Varies, check your offer letter | Nationality, visa category, service level |
| Wafid medical | Varies, check your offer letter | Centre and country |
| Qualification verification or attestation | Varies, check your offer letter | Type of degree, country of issue, urgency |
| Police clearance | Varies | Issuing authority and number of certificates |
| VisaZest service fee | As agreed | Starts from AED 5,500. May vary depending on the profession |
Processing Time
Saudi Employment Visa Processing Time
If your documents are ready and no degree verification is pending, many files move from submission to stamping in about 2 to 4 weeks. Timelines change with workload, so treat these as typical ranges rather than promises. See our full Saudi employment visa processing time guide for a week-by-week plan.
| Stage | Typical time | What can slow it down |
|---|---|---|
| Employer visa authorisation | Around 1 to 2 weeks | Quota approval, employer compliance on Qiwa |
| Degree verification or attestation | Days to several weeks. Mosadaqa can take 2 weeks to a month or more when the university is slow to respond | University response, name mismatches |
| Wafid medical | The exam takes a few hours. Result usually in about 3 to 5 working days | Repeat tests, busy centres |
| Police clearance | Varies by authority | Wrong format, old certificate |
| Submission to stamping | A few working days to about a week after a complete submission | Incomplete file, peak season |
| Iqama after arrival | Handled by your employer | Employer paperwork |
Medical Clearance
Saudi GAMCA Medical Test (Wafid)
The Saudi GAMCA medical test is the pre-employment health screening for people who plan to work in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The programme is run by the Gulf Health Council, and appointments and results now go through the official Wafid portal . Many people still search for it as GAMCA, which is why lookalike websites exist. Book only on the official site.
- The examination normally includes a physical check, blood tests for infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, and a chest X-ray.
- The system assigns the medical centre based on the city and country you choose. You can browse the list of accredited centres to see what is available.
- Carry your original passport, passport photos and appointment slip.
- Time it carefully. A fit report is commonly valid for about 90 days, so a medical done too early may expire before your visa is stamped.
Full details are in our guide to the Saudi GAMCA medical test.
Attestation
Saudi Visa Attestation and Qualification Verification
Saudi Arabia checks that your qualifications are real and match your job. Two systems matter most. The first is the Qualification Verification Program , which verifies degrees and experience with the issuing bodies. Law firm Fragomen reported that QVP now applies to all industry sectors and a wider set of nationalities.
The second is degree attestation through the Mosadaqa platform, which began accepting online requests from certain countries in 2023, as Fragomen also noted.
Technical trade roles may follow a separate skills verification route, and regulated professions such as engineering and healthcare may need a professional licence in addition. Check the rules for your exact job before you begin. Our guide to Saudi visa attestation explains the order of steps and the most common mistakes.
Stamping
Saudi Work Visa Stamping in Dubai
Stamping is the final step, where the approved visa is issued in your passport by the Saudi mission or its authorised visa centre. You submit your file, give biometrics where required and pay the applicable fees. Your passport must be valid, with blank pages, and all details must match your authorisation. If anything is inconsistent, the file can be returned. Read our guide to Saudi work visa stamping for the full checklist and what to do after stamping.
Avoid Problems
Delays, Refusals and Fake Offers
Why Saudi Employment Visa Applications Get Delayed or Refused
- Job title mismatch between the employment contract, Qiwa and the MOFA authorisation.
- Missing or wrongly ordered attestations.
- Expired medical or police certificates by the time of submission.
- Name differences across the passport, degree, contract and other documents.
- Passport problems, such as short validity or no blank pages.
- Using a business or tourist visa for what is really a job.
- Unverified qualifications for roles that require QVP or a licence.
How to Spot a Fake Saudi Job or Visa Offer
- No visa authorisation number.
- Pressure to pay a large sum before any paperwork.
- Payments requested to a personal account.
- No written contract.
- An offer that promises a visa "guaranteed in days".
- A medical booking link that is not the official Wafid site.
Ask your employer for the authorisation details, and use official channels such as the Saudi visa platform to confirm your visa details.
After You Arrive
Iqama and First Steps
Your employer completes your Iqama and registers you in the government systems. Keep copies of your contract and passport, and follow your employer's instructions on the timeline. If you plan to bring your family, ask HR about the family residence visa process for your profession.
Why Choose Us
Why Apply Through VisaZest
Dubai-based team
We understand the UAE side of the process: local attestation, police clearance and appointments.
Document pre-check
Every file is checked before submission, so avoidable errors are caught early.
Clear upfront quote
You get a clear quote with all the visa fees included upfront.
Updates at every stage
Status updates at each stage as per your convenience: WhatsApp, email or call.
10+ years of experience
A team with more than 10 years of hands-on visa experience.
FAQs
Saudi Employment Visa FAQs
Can I get a Saudi employment visa from Dubai?
Do I need a job offer before applying?
How long does the Saudi employment visa take from Dubai?
How much does a Saudi employment visa cost from Dubai?
What is the GAMCA medical test and is it the same as Wafid?
Can I work in Saudi Arabia on a business visit visa?
Do I need to attest my degree for a Saudi work visa?
How long is the medical report valid?
Can my family join me in Saudi Arabia?
What happens after my visa is stamped?
Start Your Saudi Employment Visa Application from Dubai
Share your passport copy, job offer and nationality, and our team will confirm your route, list the documents you still need and give you a clear timeline.