Premium Residency Programme
Saudi Arabia's long-term residency scheme for wealthy foreign nationals, sold without automatic work rights since Qiwa's June 2026 permit requirement.
Holders of Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency Programme gained 31 linked government services on 22 September, covering employment contracts, property transactions and vehicle imports, three months after the residency stopped carrying an automatic right to work.
Last refreshed: 3 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Does Saudi Arabia's golden visa still let holders work without a permit?
Timeline for Premium Residency Programme
Gained 31 services including work-contract registration
Nomads & Communities: Saudi premium residents gain 31 servicesSaudi golden visa loses its work right
Nomads & CommunitiesBackground
The Premium Residency Programme is Saudi Arabia's long-term residency scheme for wealthy foreign nationals, The Kingdom's equivalent of a golden visa. It is administered by the Premium Residency Center.
Since June 2026 the residency no longer carries an automatic right to work. Holders must secure a separate Qiwa work permit before any employment; the fee starts at 100 riyals with employer-size subscriptions added, no grace period is stated, and an issued permit cannot be amended. Saudi Arabia runs no dedicated digital-nomad Visa, and tourist eVisa holders remain barred from working, so no remote-work route sits around the permit requirement.
The design keeps Saudi Labour-market control, including Saudisation quotas administered through Qiwa, intact while The Kingdom sells long-term residence. Europe's nomad visas grant residence on income and assume the right to work; the programme now separates the two.
The programme no longer carries work rights
In June 2026 the programme split work rights out of residency. Holders now need a separate permit from Qiwa, the government Labour platform, before taking any job, at a base fee of 100 riyals plus employer fees. There is no grace period, and an employer that files the wrong permit category has no route to amend it.
A 22 September expansion by the Premium Residency Center tied 31 services to government platforms, among them employment contracts, property transactions and vehicle imports. For holders, the residency card now opens property and administrative services directly, while paid work still depends on a permit they must obtain separately.
Does Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency Programme allow holders to work?
How much does a Qiwa work permit cost for PRP holders?
Is there a grace period for Saudi golden-visa holders to get a work permit?
Can digital nomads work remotely in Saudi Arabia on a tourist visa?
