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Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
OrganisationSA

Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

Saudi Arabia's ministry for labour policy, sponsorship regulation and Saudisation; operates the Qiwa digital labour platform.

Last refreshed: 2 July 2026

Key Question

Which Saudi ministry now controls work rights for golden-visa holders?

Timeline for Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development

#931 May

Saudi golden visa loses its work right

Nomads & Communities
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Common Questions
What does Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development do?
It sets labour policy, regulates employer sponsorship, and administers Saudisation quotas, running the Qiwa digital labour platform.Source:
Does MHRSD control work permits for Saudi golden-visa holders?
Yes, from June 2026 it requires Premium Residency Programme holders to obtain a Qiwa-issued work permit before taking any job.Source:
What is MHRSD an abbreviation for?
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Saudi Arabia's labour ministry.Source:

Background

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) is Saudi Arabia's ministry for labour policy, sponsorship regulation, and Saudisation. It runs Qiwa, the digital labour platform that, from June 2026, issues the work permit Premium Residency Programme holders must obtain before taking any job.

The new requirement extends MHRSD's existing sponsorship-control machinery, previously built around employer-sponsored work visas and Saudisation quotas, to a residency category that was sold to wealthy foreigners without an automatic right to work. The permit carries a base fee of SAR 100 plus employer-size subscription fees and no stated grace period.

By routing golden-Visa holders through the same Qiwa system as ordinary sponsored workers, MHRSD keeps labour-market control centralised even as Saudi Arabia expands long-term residence sales, reversing the assumption behind Europe's income-based nomad visas that residence implies the right to work.