The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) has implemented a two-month grace period, running from December 1st, 2024, to January 29th, 2025, to allow foreign workers who have left their jobs without permission to regularize their status.

This amnesty program is being facilitated through the ministry’s online Qiwa platform.

Workers who have an “absence report” filed against them are eligible to utilize this 60-day window to transfer their sponsorship to a new employer. The MHRSD has actively promoted this initiative through text message notifications sent directly to the affected workers, encouraging them to take advantage of this opportunity to correct their immigration status and secure new employment within the Kingdom.

The stated goal of this campaign is to enhance stability within the labor market and provide a second chance for workers to comply with Saudi regulations. The Qiwa platform is central to this process, acting as the digital portal for all transactions and ensuring the rights of both employers and employees are protected while fostering a more stable and attractive work environment.

Beyond the amnesty program, the MHRSD highlighted the expanded capabilities of the Qiwa platform. The platform now provides free, readily accessible salary and experience certificates. Workers can access these certificates through their individual Qiwa accounts, streamlining the process of obtaining necessary employment documentation.

The process involves logging into the platform, navigating to the services section, and requesting a certificate, specifying details like the relevant employment period and the recipient of the certificate. The employer then verifies the information. This added functionality aims to improve transparency and efficiency within the Saudi work system.