Resources · Guides
Downloadable Guides & Resources
Free reference guides covering every aspect of moving to and living in Saudi Arabia. Built for expats, by expats.
Free reference guides covering every aspect of moving to and living in Saudi Arabia. Built for expats, by expats.
13 guides covering every dimension of expat life in Saudi Arabia — from Iqama and labour law to healthcare, housing, driving, and taxation. Each guide distils the full depth of the corresponding site section into a scannable reference. Print-friendly and shareable with HR or family.
MISA investment licence → Commercial Registration (CR) → LLC, branch, or Regional HQ (RHQ) structure. Corporate income tax: 20% on foreign-entity share; Saudi-owned portion pays 2.5% Zakat instead. Withholding tax: 5% dividends/interest, 15% royalties, 20% management fees. Real Estate Transaction Tax (RETT): 5%. Saudi Arabia has 50+ double-tax treaties. Nitaqat/Saudisation: construction 6% Saudi minimum, retail/hospitality 20–30%, tech/professional 15–25%. GOSI mandatory; WPS salary system enforced.
Post-2021 Kafala reforms changed everything: most workers can transfer employers freely after 12 months via Qiwa, and exit/re-entry visas are no longer required for most employees. Dependent Iqama costs SAR 100–400/person/year; sponsoring dependents requires min SAR 4,000/month salary. Premium Residency: SAR 800,000 permanent or SAR 100,000/year. Investor Visa via MISA renewable alongside Commercial Registration (CR). 100% foreign-owned companies now permitted in most sectors.
Every document, every step, from job acceptance to your first 30 days. Covers GAMCA pre-arrival medical screening (SAR 200–400, TB/HIV/HepB, 3-month validity), apostille + Saudi Embassy attestation chain (6–14 weeks total), UK PCC via ACRO (4–6 weeks), US FBI background check (8–12 weeks), SFDA drug registry for medications, pet transport (6–8 weeks min, $500–2,000+), and the STC/Mobily/Zain SIM card setup on arrival.
City-by-city budget breakdowns in SAR. Studio apartments: Riyadh SAR 1,800–2,800/mo, Jeddah SAR 2,000–3,200/mo, Dammam SAR 1,500–2,500/mo. Petrol at SAR 0.91/litre (91 octane). Internet fibre 200Mbps: SAR 199–249/month. Domestic helper: SAR 1,200–2,500/month. The critical hidden cost: a 6% remittance levy on all international transfers by non-Saudi residents. SAR is pegged to USD at 3.75 — no currency risk on the Saudi side.
Benchmarks across 12 sectors: Oil & Gas engineer SAR 18k–80k+/mo, IT engineer SAR 12k–60k, physician SAR 22k–90k+, teacher SAR 8k–38k, construction PM SAR 15k–65k. Packages include 25% housing allowance, 15% transport, 2x annual flights, mandatory health insurance, and up to SAR 120k/yr per child in school allowance. 0% income tax — but factor in the 6% expat remittance levy when comparing with home-country salary.
Your rights under Royal Decree M/51. Probation max 90 days (extendable to 180 by written agreement). Annual leave: 21 days/yr, 30 days after 5 years. Sick leave: 30 days full pay, 60 days at 75%, 30 days unpaid. Overtime: 150% of hourly rate. End-of-service gratuity (EOSG): 0.5 month/yr for years 2–5, 1 month/yr thereafter — calculated on basic salary only. If a fixed-term contract is renewed twice it automatically becomes indefinite. Wage Protection System (WPS): delayed salary triggers an instant MHRSD flag and work-permit freeze.
You enter Saudi Arabia on a 90-day work visa — the clock starts immediately. Employer applies for Iqama within that window; GAMCA medical screening (blood + chest X-ray) required first. Annual Iqama renewal fee: SAR 650 paid by employer. Overstay fine: SAR 100/day — track via Absher app. Link your Iqama to Absher immediately to unlock Nafath digital ID, exit permits, and dependent Iqama applications. Kafala 2021: free job transfer via Qiwa after 12 months. Premium Residency upgrade from SAR 100,000/year.
Qiwa freelance permit (Tasaheel) via MHRSD — requires a valid Iqama and an approved NEC (National Employment Code) category (40+ sectors: IT, consulting, creative, education). Fee: SAR 400–2,000/yr by sector, permit issued instantly. Sole proprietorship (Muassasa) available as next step. VAT: mandatory registration at SAR 375,000 annual turnover (voluntary from SAR 187,500). All invoices must be Fatoorah-compliant e-invoices. Remote Work Visa: USD 650/year — alternative for non-residents. Dependent visa holders working without a permit risk deportation.
Annual fee ranges: British SAR 55–85k, American SAR 50–80k, IB SAR 45–75k, French SAR 35–55k, CBSE/ICSE SAR 12–35k. Top schools (BISR, AISR, Dhahran Academy) have 2+ year waitlists — apply the moment your job offer is confirmed. CAT4 cognitive test via GL Education required by most British and IB schools. Full attestation pipeline: Notary → MoFA → Saudi Embassy → Saudi MOFA → Noor portal (5-document submission). Vision 2030: 40+ new licences and 35,000 new seats being added. RCRC corporate pathways for employer-sponsored placements.
Six cities covered in depth. Riyadh: Diplomatic Quarter + Al Hamra compounds, Riyadh Metro (6 lines, 85 stations, opened 2024). Jeddah: Red Sea lifestyle, Al-Andalus and Obhur compounds, liberal social atmosphere. Dammam/Eastern Province: oil & gas hub, King Fahad Children's Hospital. Abha: Asir Highlands, 15–25°C year-round, Saudi Arabia's coolest expat posting. AlUla: heritage tourism, Hegra UNESCO site. NEOM: futuristic megacity, Hisma Desert — the Kingdom's boldest infrastructure project.
Top banks for expats: Al Rajhi (largest Islamic bank), Saudi National Bank (SNB), and Riyad Bank — all offer English-language apps and expat onboarding. Before your Iqama arrives, use STC Pay prepaid card as a functional alternative for day-to-day spending. Mada (debit) and Apple Pay accepted almost universally. Key cost: 6% remittance levy on international transfers made by non-Saudi residents — factor this into your package negotiation. SAMA-regulated sector means strong consumer protections.
CCHI-mandated private health insurance is compulsory from day one — negotiate family coverage before signing your contract. Class A insurers: Bupa Arabia and Tawuniya (widely accepted at both public and private hospitals). Pre-authorisation for specialist referrals typically takes 1–3 weeks. Pediatric emergency: HMG Olaya Medical Complex offers 24/7 English-speaking care. For autism and ABA therapy, Canopy ABA (Riyadh) and Hope Center (Riyadh + Jeddah) have waitlists of 6–14 weeks — apply immediately on arrival. Healthcare professionals need Dataflow credential verification before licensing.
Saudi Arabia is car-centric — most expats buy or lease within the first month. Convert your foreign licence at a Muroor service centre via Absher (UK, US, EU, GCC, India, Pakistan accepted; no driving test required; fee SAR 250–450; valid 5 years). Do not drive on a foreign licence once your Iqama is issued — it invalidates insurance. Riyadh Metro: 6 lines, 85 stations, SAR 4–16/journey (opened 2024). Uber & Careem: excellent coverage across all major cities. Domestic flights from SAR 69. Haramain High Speed Rail: Jeddah to Mecca in 30 minutes. Car insurance comprehensive: SAR 2,500–6,000/year.
Six of the most operationally complex processes in Saudi expat life — from Iqama application and school enrollment to labour disputes, tax compliance, and housing setup — broken into clear, sequenced steps so nothing falls through the cracks.
When we publish a new guide, you'll be the first to know.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.