Working in Saudi Arabia
For Pakistan passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15
Saudi Arabia takes in hundreds of thousands of Pakistani workers every year, always through a Saudi employer who holds an approved work-visa quota — and before departure you must clear Pakistan's Protector of Emigrants and, for many trades, pass a Saudi skill test.
What the employer must have
- The Saudi employer must hold approved work-visa quota ('block visa') from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, managed through the Qiwa platform, before it can bring in a foreign worker.
- The employer requests visa authorization through Saudi MOFA's e-services to 'bring in people from outside' and issues you the employment visa; you cannot self-petition.
- Since July 2025, every new expatriate work permit is classified high-skill / skilled / basic in Qiwa, so the employer must match your qualifications to the occupation before the permit is issued.
What you must do before you leave
- Before departure you must be registered with the Protector of Emigrants (BEOE) — your foreign service agreement is registered at a Protectorate office or via e-Protector (Emigration Ordinance/Rules 1979).
- Go through a licensed Overseas Employment Promoter, OR use the direct-employment route with your contract attested by the Pakistan mission in Saudi Arabia and registered with the Protector of Emigrants.
- If your trade is covered by Saudi Arabia's Skill Verification Program (e.g. plumber, electrician, welder, refrigeration/AC technician, automobile electrician), you must pass the SVP exam in Pakistan — the certificate is needed for the employment visa or renewal in those professions.
Things to watch
- Temporary pauses happen: Saudi Arabia froze new block work visa quotas for Pakistanis and 13 other nationalities from 28 May 2025 during Hajj season; the hold was lifted 12 June 2025. Similar seasonal pauses can recur.
- The July 2025 skill-based permit classification means your documented education, experience and wage now determine your permit category; weak paperwork can delay or block the permit.
- Working for anyone other than the sponsor named on your visa is illegal in Saudi Arabia — so-called 'free visa' / azad visa offers are scams that leave you undocumented.
- beoe.gov.pk blocks automated access; 2025 BEOE figures (~530,000 to Saudi Arabia) appear in Pakistani press that also blocked fetching — the verified fetched figure here is 452,561 for 2024.
What you may lawfully be charged
THE MOST A LICENSED AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU as a service charge is PKR 15,000 (PKR 6,000 if you found the job yourself and only need the paperwork done). You do not hand it over — you deposit it in a bank and the agent is paid only after the Protector of Emigrants confirms you reached the job. Anything he spends on your ticket, medical or visa must come with a signed, stamped receipt.
Rule 15 and 15A, Emigration Rules 1979 (SRO 1058(I)/2023). Charging more is punishable by up to 14 years — Section 22(a), Emigration Ordinance 1979.
⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.
Official sources
This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.