How the transfer works
The transfer is started by the new employer and accepted by the worker on Qiwa:
- 1
- 2
Step 2: Find an employer willing to transfer you
The new employer submits the transfer request and a new employment contract through its Qiwa business account.
- 3
- 4
Step 4: New employer settles outstanding fees
The new employer pays the work-permit fees owed for you before the transfer is completed.
- 5
Step 5: Complete residency updates
After the transfer, the new employer completes your Iqama and work-permit updates through the official systems.
What Qiwa announced
Qiwa, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development’s labour platform, clarified at the end of September 2026 that expatriate workers whose status changed after an absence report, a work-interruption report or termination of their contract can be transferred to a new employer through Qiwa.
The route is open to workers who have spent more than 12 months in the Kingdom, subject to the conditions applied on the platform. The new employer must pay any outstanding work-permit fees owed for the worker as part of the transfer.
Who this does not cover
Workers recorded in Absher or Muqeem as “left and did not return” or “final exit” may be removed from an establishment’s records and are not covered by this route.
Employees moving from government jobs cannot have contracts created through Qiwa until their clearance is complete and their government record is closed through Masar.
The fee settlement covers work-permit fees. Other liabilities, such as traffic fines or court cases, are separate and may still need to be resolved.
Source note
This guide reflects Qiwa’s September 2026 clarification as reported. Qiwa has not published every condition in detail, so confirm your own eligibility on the platform before relying on a transfer. Separately, Yemeni nationals have a time-limited 60-day status-correction initiative that started in October 2026.