If you work on a building site, road project, or giga-project in Saudi Arabia, your Iqama is the single most important document you carry. Without a valid one, you cannot legally work, send money home, open a bank account, or travel in and out of the Kingdom. Yet many construction workers only think about the Iqama renewal process when their expiry date is a few days away, and that is exactly when problems start.
This guide explains the full Iqama renewal process for foreign construction workers in 2026, step by step. You will learn who pays which fees, what documents are needed, how the new skill verification rules affect electricians, welders, plumbers and other tradesmen, how Qiwa’s work permit rules changed this year, and what happens if your renewal is late. Whether you are a mason from Bangladesh, a steel fixer from Nepal, a site engineer from India, or a supervisor from the Philippines, understanding the Iqama renewal process will help you protect your legal status. If you are still looking for work in the Gulf, you can also browse our latest Saudi Arabia job guides.
What Is an Iqama and Why Does the Iqama Renewal Process Matter?
The Iqama is the resident identity permit issued by the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), under the Ministry of Interior, to every foreign national who lives and works in Saudi Arabia. It is linked to your employer, your profession code, your passport, and your work permit.
For construction workers, a valid Iqama is needed to:
- Work legally on any project site
- Receive your salary through the Wage Protection System into a bank account
- Send remittances home through banks or exchange houses
- Get an exit and re-entry visa for vacation
- Keep a SIM card registered in your name
- Pass police and labor inspection checks at camps and sites
Since 2025, the physical Iqama card is printed with a five-year validity. However, this does not mean your residency is valid for five years. Your residency status itself must still go through the Iqama renewal process digitally, usually every year (or in shorter periods), through Absher or Muqeem. Many workers get confused by this change, so remember: the plastic card can show a far-off date while your actual residency still needs renewing.
Who Is Responsible for the Iqama Renewal Process?
In the private sector, the Iqama renewal process is started and paid for by your employer (also called the sponsor or kafeel). Construction companies normally handle renewals through two government platforms:
- Absher Business – used by companies to manage employee residency services
- Muqeem – a portal widely used by large contractors to manage hundreds or thousands of workers at once
Under Article 40 of the Saudi Labor Law, the employer must cover the Iqama fee, the work permit fee (expat levy), and any fines caused by late renewal. A construction company cannot legally deduct these costs from your salary.
During the Iqama renewal process, the worker is usually responsible for:
- Keeping the passport valid
- Paying their own traffic fines
- Paying the dependent levy if they sponsor family members in the Kingdom
- Completing any required skill test or biometric update when asked
If your employer is trying to make you pay the Iqama or work permit fee, you can raise the issue through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) or the complaint services on Qiwa.
Iqama Renewal Fees for Construction Workers in 2026
Understanding the costs of the Iqama renewal process helps you know whether your employer is following the rules. The main cost elements for a private-sector construction worker are shown below.
| Fee Item | Typical Amount (2026) | Who Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Base Iqama renewal fee | SAR 650 per year | Employer |
| Work permit levy (non-Saudi count not above Saudi count) | SAR 700 per month | Employer |
| Work permit levy (each non-Saudi above Saudi count) | SAR 800 per month | Employer |
| Absher processing/service fee | Small fixed charge (around SAR 50) | Employer |
| Medical insurance | Varies by insurer and policy | Employer |
| Dependent levy (if family is sponsored) | SAR 400 per dependent per month | Worker |
| Late renewal fine (first time) | SAR 500 | Employer |
| Late renewal fine (second time) | SAR 1,000 | Employer |
Why the work permit levy is the biggest cost
The base Iqama fee is small compared to the work permit levy, often called Maktab Amal fees. Because construction is a labor-heavy industry, most contractors employ far more foreign workers than Saudi nationals. That usually puts them in the higher levy band of SAR 800 per worker per month, or SAR 9,600 per worker per year.
For a company with 2,000 laborers, this levy alone runs into millions of riyals every year. This is why some contractors complete the Iqama renewal process in shorter periods rather than a full year at once.
Renewal periods: 3, 6, 9 or 12 months
Most private-sector workers can have their Iqama renewed for 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. Construction companies often choose shorter periods to match project timelines or manage cash flow. This is legal, but it means the Iqama renewal process comes around more often, so you need to keep a closer eye on your expiry date.
Important: Fee amounts can change. Always confirm the final amount in Absher, Muqeem, or Qiwa before payment. This guide reflects publicly reported 2026 rates.
Pre-Conditions: What Must Be Clear Before the Iqama Renewal Process
The Iqama renewal process will be blocked if certain conditions are not met. Construction workers often face delays because of one of these issues:
- Valid passport – Your passport should remain valid for the renewal period. If it is close to expiry, renew it at your embassy first and update the new passport details on Absher.
- Valid medical insurance – The system checks for an active health insurance policy registered with the Council of Health Insurance.
- Paid work permit fees – The employer must clear the work permit levy on Qiwa before the Iqama can be renewed.
- No unpaid traffic violations – Outstanding traffic fines in your name can stop the Iqama renewal process. Check on Absher at least a week before your deadline.
- Not reported absent from work – If your employer has filed an “absent from work” report (commonly called Huroob) against you, renewal is not possible until the status is resolved.
- Physical presence in Saudi Arabia – Workers generally need to be inside the Kingdom for their own Iqama renewal process. Recent changes allow dependents and domestic workers to renew from abroad, but fees for that option are higher.
- Biometrics updated – If Jawazat asks for a fingerprint or photo update, it must be done at a Jawazat centre before renewal.
Step-by-Step Iqama Renewal Process for Construction Workers
Here is how the Iqama renewal process normally works for a construction company employee in 2026.
Step 1: Check your Iqama expiry date
Log in to Absher Individuals using your Iqama number and password, or use the Absher mobile app. Your residency expiry date is shown on your profile and in the digital ID section. You can also check through the Muqeem expiry check service.
Set a phone reminder at least 30 days before the expiry date so the Iqama renewal process can start on time. Construction workers who move between camps and sites often lose track of dates, so a reminder is your best protection.
Step 2: Confirm your profession code is correct
Your Iqama carries a profession (job title) code. Under the skill-based work permit system, this code matters more than ever in the Iqama renewal process. If your Iqama says “laborer” but you actually work as a qualified electrician or welder, ask your HR department whether a profession correction should be done on Qiwa before renewal.
Step 3: Employer renews the work permit on Qiwa
Before the Iqama itself is renewed, your employer must renew your work permit through the Qiwa platform and pay the expat levy. In 2026, this step of the Iqama renewal process can also trigger a skill verification requirement for many trades (explained below).
Step 4: Employer pays the Iqama fee through SADAD
Once the work permit is active, the company pays the Iqama renewal fee through SADAD using its bank account. The payment is then linked to your Iqama number.
Step 5: Renewal is completed on Absher Business or Muqeem
The HR or government-relations (GRO) officer logs in to Absher Business or Muqeem, selects your record, chooses the renewal period, and confirms. Large contractors often run the Iqama renewal process in batches for an entire camp or project.
Step 6: Verify the new expiry date yourself
The updated expiry date usually appears on Absher within one to three working days after payment. Do not rely only on the word of a supervisor. Check your Absher profile or digital Iqama to confirm the Iqama renewal process is complete and the new date has been applied.
Step 7: Keep proof
Take a screenshot of your updated digital Iqama on Absher. If you are stopped at a checkpoint or inspection, the digital ID on the Absher app is accepted as proof of identity.
The Skill Verification Program: A New Step in the Iqama Renewal Process
One of the biggest changes for foreign construction workers is the Skill Verification Program (also called the Professional Verification Program). It is a Saudi government initiative under Vision 2030 that requires expatriate workers in skilled trades to prove they can actually do the job written on their Iqama.
As of 2026, the program is fully enforced through the Qiwa platform. For workers already in the Kingdom, the test is usually triggered during the Iqama renewal process, when the employer renews the work permit or changes the worker’s profession.
Which construction trades are covered?
Occupations listed on the Qiwa portal include several core construction trades, such as:
- Electrician
- Welder
- Plumber
- Carpenter
- Painter
- HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) technician
The program has been expanded to cover more than a thousand professions across many sectors, so check your own profession code on the Qiwa skill verification portal.
What does the exam involve?
The skill verification exam usually has two parts: a theory test and a practical test. It is offered in several languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, and Filipino, and the certificate is valid for five years. There is no fixed limit on the number of attempts.
Practical advice: If you are an electrician, welder or plumber, ask your employer early whether your Iqama renewal process will require the test. Book it well before your Iqama expiry, because exam slots at popular test centres can fill up.
The New Skill-Based Work Permit Classification
From July 2025, Saudi Arabia replaced the old “professional vs. non-professional” system with a three-level skill-based work permit framework, which is fully active in 2026. Work permits are now issued and renewed based on five main factors:
- Educational background
- Work experience
- Professional skills
- Wage level
- Age
Workers are placed into high-skill, skilled, or basic categories. For construction workers, this means site engineers and senior technicians may be classified differently from general laborers. Your category can affect the requirements of your Iqama renewal process and, in some cases, future job mobility.
Qiwa’s 2026 Rules on Expired Work Permits
In mid-2026, Qiwa announced an important rule that directly affects construction workers whose work permits are left expired.
- From 1 July 2026, Qiwa began automatically removing workers from a company’s records if their work permit had been expired for more than three months.
- A worker is not automatically removed if the work permit expires before the Iqama and the Iqama still has at least 180 days of validity remaining.
- If the Iqama has less than 180 days remaining, the employer must complete the Iqama renewal process and renew the work permit together.
- The employer remains responsible for all fees that built up while the worker was employed without a valid permit.
Shortly after, the Ministry of Human Resources extended a grace period until the end of 2026 for employers to fix the status of workers whose permits had been expired for more than 12 months, and for workers who were never issued permits within six months of joining.
What this means for you: If your company is struggling financially or a project has stalled, check your work permit status on Qiwa Individuals. Being removed from your employer’s records can leave you in a difficult legal position. If you see a problem, raise it with HR immediately or seek advice from your embassy’s labor wing.
Penalties for Delaying the Iqama Renewal Process
Jawazat begins applying fines if an Iqama is not renewed within three days after it expires. The penalties escalate:
- First violation: SAR 500 fine
- Second violation: SAR 1,000 fine
- Third violation: SAR 1,000 fine, with possible deportation of the worker
Although the employer is legally responsible for these fines, a delayed Iqama renewal process hurts the worker most. With an expired Iqama, you may face:
- Blocked Absher services
- Frozen or restricted bank accounts
- Inability to send remittances
- Inability to get an exit and re-entry visa
- Problems at police checkpoints and labor inspections
In other words, the fine is often the smallest part of the problem.
How Construction Workers Can Track Their Iqama Renewal Process
You do not need to wait for HR to tell you what is happening. Here are simple ways to track the Iqama renewal process yourself:
- Absher Individuals app – shows your residency expiry date, digital ID, traffic fines and passport details.
- Qiwa Individuals – shows your work permit status, employment contract, and any pending skill verification requirements.
- Muqeem expiry check – a quick public service to confirm Iqama validity using your Iqama number.
- Absher traffic violations – check unpaid traffic fines that could block renewal.
Make it a habit to check these every few months, and always about a month before your expiry date.
Iqama Renewal Process When Your Family Lives With You
Some construction supervisors, engineers and senior technicians sponsor their spouse and children in the Kingdom. In that case, the Iqama renewal process has an extra cost: the dependent levy of SAR 400 per dependent per month, which the worker pays, not the company.
For a worker with a spouse and two children, this equals SAR 1,200 a month or SAR 14,400 a year, on top of the dependents’ own Iqama fees. Dependents’ renewals can now also be completed online from outside Saudi Arabia in certain cases, as long as the head of the family remains in the Kingdom, although fees for renewals done from abroad are higher than standard ones.
Common Iqama Renewal Process Problems and How to Solve Them
“My employer has not renewed my Iqama”
First, check Absher to confirm the expiry date. Then speak to your HR or GRO officer in writing (a message or email keeps a record). If nothing happens, you can file a complaint through HRSD channels. Under the Labor Reform Initiative, workers in certain situations may also be able to transfer to a new employer, so ask about your options.
“Renewal is blocked because of traffic fines”
Pay the fines through Absher, SADAD, or your banking app, then ask HR to restart the Iqama renewal process.
“My passport is expiring soon”
Book an appointment with your embassy or consulate as early as possible. After you receive the new passport, update the details on Absher (often at a Jawazat centre or through your employer).
“I was told I need a skill test”
Log in to Qiwa, check your eligibility, and book the exam. Passing the test also strengthens your profile for future job changes.
“I was reported absent (Huroob) by mistake”
This is serious. Contact HR immediately, and if needed, your embassy’s labor attaché. Absence reports can sometimes be challenged within the allowed time, but delays make it harder.
Practical Tips for a Smooth Iqama Renewal Process
- Set reminders 60 and 30 days before your expiry date.
- Keep copies of your passport, Iqama, contract and skill certificates on your phone.
- Pay traffic fines as soon as they appear.
- Check Qiwa for your work permit status, not just Absher for your Iqama.
- Confirm your profession code matches your actual job.
- Never pay your employer for Iqama or work permit fees that the law says the employer must cover.
- Verify the new expiry date yourself after the Iqama renewal process.
- Stay in touch with your embassy’s labor section if serious issues arise.
Planning a move to another Gulf country instead? Read our Middle East work visa guides for more options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Iqama renewal process take?
Once the work permit levy and Iqama fee are paid, the Iqama renewal process is usually quick, and the new expiry date normally appears on Absher within one to three working days.
Can a construction worker start the Iqama renewal process himself?
No. For private-sector workers, the Iqama renewal process is handled by the employer through Absher Business or Muqeem. The worker can check status and pay personal fines, but cannot complete the renewal alone.
Who pays for the Iqama renewal process for construction workers?
The employer pays the Iqama fee, the work permit levy, and any late renewal fines under Article 40 of the Saudi Labor Law. Workers pay their own traffic fines and any dependent levy for family members.
What is the Iqama renewal fee for one year in 2026?
The base fee for most private-sector employees is around SAR 650 per year. However, the real cost is much higher once the work permit levy of SAR 700 to SAR 800 per month is included.
Is the skill verification test part of the Iqama renewal process for all construction workers?
Not for every job, but it is mandatory for many skilled trades such as electricians, welders, plumbers, carpenters, painters and HVAC technicians. It is usually triggered when the work permit is renewed on Qiwa.
What happens if I miss the Iqama renewal process deadline?
Fines start three days after expiry: SAR 500 for the first time and SAR 1,000 for the second. Repeated violations can lead to deportation. Your banking, travel and Absher services may also be restricted.
My Iqama card shows five years. Do I still need the Iqama renewal process?
Yes. The physical card has a five-year validity, but your residency status still needs to be renewed digitally, usually every year or in 3, 6, or 9-month periods.
Final Thoughts
The Iqama renewal process for foreign construction workers in Saudi Arabia is more digital and more regulated in 2026 than ever before. It now involves more than just a fee payment: your work permit must be valid on Qiwa, your profession code must match your real job, and many tradesmen must pass a skill verification test. At the same time, new Qiwa rules mean that leaving a work permit expired can remove you from your employer’s records.
The good news is that most problems in the Iqama renewal process can be avoided with a little planning. Check your Absher and Qiwa accounts regularly, set reminders well before your expiry date, keep your passport and fines in order, and make sure your employer meets its legal responsibilities. A valid Iqama keeps your job, your salary, and your family’s future secure.