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Saudi Arabia tightens Visa rules for foreign workers, meningitis vaccine becomes mandatory for travelers; Read details
Harvinder Kaur
Dubai (UAE), January 13, 2025: Saudi Arabia has tightened its Visa rules for foreign workers. As per its recent circular, foreign workers planning to apply for a work visa to Saudi Arabia will now be mandated to undergo a pre-verification process for their professional and academic qualifications starting from January 14.
Indians constitute the second-largest expatriate group in Saudi Arabia, following Bangladesh, with a population exceeding 2.4 million, as reported by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Indian workers, encompassing both men and women, play an essential role in the labor market of Saudi Arabia and contribute significantly to the remittances sent back to India.
In accordance with the 2030 vision, the kingdom has initiated reforms within the labor sector aimed at enhancing the flexibility of employment contracts for expatriates. Additionally, the modifications include more stringent certification requirements for specific occupations.
Establishment owners and human resources departments are urged to authenticate the credentials and details submitted by expatriate employees. This initiative aims to optimize the recruitment process and improve the overall quality of the workforce within the kingdom.
The country has also announced a rule upgrade for ex-pats renewing their Iqama, or residency permits, and extending exit and re-entry visas.
Meningitis vaccine becomes mandatory for travellers
In addition to this, it has also tightened health requirements for travelers. Visitors to Saudi Arabia must now obtain the meningitis vaccine before their arrival, as announced by the government in a recent press release. Starting on February 10th, individuals planning to travel to Saudi Arabia must obtain the meningitis vaccine a minimum of 10 days prior to their departure. Exempt from this mandate are children who are under one year of age.
The Saudi Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) has mandated that airlines adhere to these regulations. It is the responsibility of airlines to confirm that all passengers fulfill the vaccination criteria prior to their journey.
This requirement is applicable to all travelers, irrespective of the reason for their visit, including business, Umrah, or tourism, with particular emphasis on travel to major cities such as Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif. This initiative, implemented by Saudi health authorities, is designed to protect public health.