Saudi Arabia’s Changes To Skill-Based Work Visas Can Benefit New Hires; Details Inside

It wasn’t too long ago when we told you about the new rule in Saudi Arabia for skilled foreign jobs. Yes, this was a classification for dividing skilled workers into the skill levels of high skill, skilled, and basic categories. And now that we have more details about this major change in the work visa system that comes into effect on August 3, we are here to tell you all about it, in case it benefits you.

Saudi Arabia’s Work Permits Come Into Effect On August 3

If you have been planning to apply for a work visa for Saudi Arabia, you must take note of the fact that now foreign workers will be classified into three skill levels. These are high-skilled, skilled, and basic. Previously, the work permit was issued by the kingdom on the basis of the job titles. Although it should be noted that these were without clearly linking to qualifications, actual skill set, or salary levels. So, there were often mismatches between the roles and work profiles. With the new move, this classification will now apply to new hires from August.

Who All Are Included In These Categories?

But the next question that arises is who is included in the different skill categories. Well, to answer your question, here are the different professions as categorised according to their skill set.

• High-skilled
  This is reserved for professions in which the candidates must meet a point-based system. Yes, things like education, professional experience and salary must be considered for this, and it includes engineers, doctors, and IT specialists.
• Skilled
  This is for mid-level roles and requires some experience and verified qualifications, but they don’t meet the high-skilled point system. And these include technicians, supervisors, and administrative staff.
• Basic
  Under this category, workers must be under the age of 60. And includes manual labour and support roles.

Also Read: UAE Urges Residents And Visitors To Avoid Fake Visa Ads Promising Fast-Track Services

Why Is This Classification Important?

A lot of people question, why does this classification matter? Well, it adds transparency and predictability. So basically, you will know where you stand on the basis of your credentials. Not to mention, the employers will also ensure that your classification matches to contract and qualifications. This means job seekers who have a strong educational or technical background will get a clearer path to higher job opportunities. To boost your chances, you must improve your classification for this. You will have to do the following things:

• You must have your education and professional experience documents
• Enrol in Saudi-approved verification programmes
• Align your job title and duties in your employment contract

How Does It Benefit Workers?

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that even though the classification is now making things a lot more transparent, there’s no clarity about who qualifies for which tier. Not to mention, it is still unclear whether people in the higher tier of classification get additional benefits or there is a faster processing system. But what it does do is create a roadmap for ambitious professionals.

So if you are someone who is aiming for higher-paying jobs in Saudi Arabia and have the educational qualification that sets you in the higher classification, make sure to follow and submit all the required documents for the visa processing system.

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/kashif Hameed