Saudi Arabia has introduced a facility allowing domestic workers who have not yet been issued an iqama to obtain a final-exit visa during their 90-day probation period.
Employers can complete the process through the Absher platform, according to the General Directorate of Passports.
The facility is subject to several conditions. The domestic worker must not be registered as deceased or reported absent from work and must be inside Saudi Arabia when the final-exit request is submitted.
The worker’s traffic record must also be free of outstanding violations or dues, while the passport must have at least 60 days of validity remaining.
Under regulations issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, employers and domestic workers are required to have a written employment contract. The probation period can last for a maximum of 90 days, allowing the employer to assess the worker’s performance and conduct.
During the probation period, either the employer or the domestic worker has the right to terminate the employment contract, subject to the applicable regulations and contractual terms.
The same domestic worker cannot generally be placed under probation more than once with the same employer. A further probation period may be agreed upon only when the worker is being assigned a different type of work and both parties consent to the arrangement.
The new final-exit facility provides an option for eligible domestic workers who leave employment during the probation period, while employers are required to meet the relevant conditions before submitting the request through Absher.
