Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
Saudi Arabia's ministry for Labour policy, sponsorship regulation and Saudisation; operates the Qiwa digital Labour platform.
Since June 2026 Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has required Premium Residency holders to obtain a work permit through its Qiwa platform before taking any job; from 22 September their work contracts also register through Qiwa.
Last refreshed: 3 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Which Saudi ministry now controls work rights for golden-visa holders?
Timeline for Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
Mentioned in: Saudi premium residents gain 31 services
Nomads & CommunitiesSaudi golden visa loses its work right
Nomads & CommunitiesBackground
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) is Saudi Arabia's ministry for Labour policy, sponsorship regulation and Saudisation, the quota system that reserves jobs for Saudi nationals. It runs Qiwa, the digital Labour platform through which work permits are issued and employment contracts registered.
Since June 2026 Qiwa has been the gate that Premium Residency Programme holders must pass before starting work: they need a ministry-issued permit, priced from 100 riyals plus employer-size subscriptions, and no grace period is stated. The requirement extends sponsorship controls built around employer-sponsored work visas to a residency category sold without an automatic right to work.
By routing golden-Visa holders through the same system as ordinary sponsored workers, the ministry keeps Labour-market control centralised while Saudi Arabia expands long-term residence sales. That runs the opposite way to Europe's income-based nomad visas, which treat residence and the right to work as one package.
Its Qiwa platform now gates residency work
In June 2026 the ministry made Premium Residency Programme holders apply through Qiwa for a separate permit before starting any employment. The charge starts at 100 riyals, with subscription fees scaled to employer size on top; no grace period applies, and a permit cannot be corrected once issued.
A second step followed on 22 September, when the residency programme's service centre linked 31 services to state platforms and holders' employment contracts began registering through Qiwa. For the ministry, the change brings a residency class sold to wealthy foreigners inside the same sponsorship and Saudisation machinery that governs ordinary sponsored workers.
What does Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development do?
Does MHRSD control work permits for Saudi golden-visa holders?
What is MHRSD an abbreviation for?
