Saudi Iqama Transfer 2026: Naqal Kafala Rules, Fees and Changing Employer Without Consent

Published September 18, 2026 · by Hijrat — visa consultants, Islamabad & Rawalpindi

Changing employers in Saudi Arabia used to mean asking your kafeel for a favour. Since the labour reforms, transferring sponsorship — naqal kafala — is largely a digital process on the Qiwa platform, and in several defined situations you no longer need your current employer’s agreement at all. For Pakistani workers stuck with unpaid wages or a company that never issued a work permit, knowing these rules is worth more than any agent’s advice.

How a normal transfer works in 2026

The usual route runs through Qiwa: your new employer raises a transfer request, your current employer approves it, and you accept the new contract electronically. The labour office remains the fallback where the digital route fails. Because it is filed by employers, the worker’s part is mainly to check that the new contract terms — salary, job title, duration — match what was promised before accepting.

Who pays, and how much

Transfer fees are generally reported at around SAR 2,000 for a first transfer, SAR 4,000 for a second, and SAR 6,000 for a third and subsequent transfers. Importantly, this fee is the responsibility of the new employer, and employers are not permitted to pass it on to the worker. If a company asks you to pay your own transfer fee, that is a warning sign about how it will treat you generally.

Transfers without the current employer’s consent

Under the reformed rules, a worker may move without the existing sponsor’s approval in defined circumstances, which have been reported as including:

1. The iqama has been expired beyond a short grace period because the employer failed to renew it.
2. The employer did not issue a work permit within roughly three months of your arrival.
3. Wages have gone unpaid for three consecutive months, provable through the Wage Protection System.
4. The employer is in the red Nitaqat compliance zone.
5. The contract has run to its natural completion.

In practice these cases can still require supporting evidence — a labour office or court decision, and a request letter from the new employer — so keep your contract, WPS records and iqama copies. Do not simply stop attending work while a dispute is open; absconding reports (huroob) create far worse problems than the original complaint.

Before you accept the new job

Check the new employer’s Nitaqat standing, confirm the salary in the electronic contract rather than in a WhatsApp message, and confirm who handles your iqama renewal and its fees. If the role requires certified qualifications, the Saudi Skill Verification Programme and embassy degree attestation may apply to the new position even though you are already in the Kingdom.

How transfers affect travel and family

A transfer in progress is a poor time to travel. Your exit re-entry visa is tied to your current sponsor, and a permit issued under the old sponsorship can complicate re-entry once the transfer completes. If you hold dependents on your iqama, their status follows yours, so confirm the new employer will sponsor family members before committing — not every company does.

If you are being pressured to take final exit instead

Some employers offer a final exit visa rather than agree to a transfer. Accepting one ends your residency, and returning afterwards means a fresh work visa and new documentation from Pakistan. If you intend to keep working in Saudi Arabia, treat final exit as a last resort and take advice before signing anything. Our team in Islamabad can help prepare the Pakistan-side paperwork either way.

Saudi labour and sponsorship-transfer rules have changed repeatedly in recent years, conditions are applied case by case, and all decisions rest with the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and the Jawazat. This article reflects information available on the date of publication and is not legal advice — confirm your position with Qiwa, the labour office or a qualified adviser in the Kingdom.