Direct Answer / Quick Summary:

Under Saudi Arabia’s Labor Reform Initiative (LRI), the process of transferring an expatriate worker's employment sponsorship (Naql Kafala) is executed completely online through the Qiwa platform across five standardized phases:

1. New Employer Initiates: The hiring company logs into Qiwa Business (أعمال), enters the worker's Iqama/Border Number, creates a digital employment offer, and submits the transfer request.

2. Worker Accepts: The expatriate receives an SMS and has 10 calendar days to review and accept the job offer in Qiwa Individuals (أفراد) via Nafath.

3. Current Employer Action / Statutory Bypass: If transferring with mutual consent or upon contract expiry, the transfer executes smoothly. If transferring without consent under Article 81 or LRI statutory exceptions (unpaid salary for 3 months, expired Iqama, unauthenticated contract, Red Nitaqat), current employer consent is bypassed automatically.

4. Government Fee Payment: The new employer pays the statutory Jawazat transfer fee via SADAD (SAR 2,000 for 1st transfer, SAR 4,000 for 2nd, SAR 6,000 for 3rd+).

5. Muqeem & Iqama Finalization: The worker appears instantly in the new establishment's labor portfolio, and a new residency card is printed via Muqeem.

The Legal Revolution: From Kafala to Digital Labor Mobility

Prior to the introduction of the Labor Reform Initiative (LRI) under Vision 2030, an expatriate worker in Saudi Arabia was legally bound to a single sponsor (Kafeel). Transferring to a new company required obtaining a physical, stamped No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and physical passport release from the sponsoring employer.

Under modern MHRSD regulations (governed by Ministerial Decision No. 51848), the employment relationship is strictly bilateral and contract-based.

Step 1Day 1

New Employer Request

Hiring entity submits electronic transfer offer on Qiwa Business

Step 210-Day Window

Employee Acceptance

Expatriate reviews terms and approves offer on Qiwa Individuals via Nafath

Step 3Real-time Check

Statutory Clearance

MHRSD verifies notice compliance or applies automatic Article 81 consent bypass

Step 4Settlement

Government Fee Payment

Sponsoring company settles Jawazat SADAD transfer fee (SAR 2,000 to 6,000)

Step 5Completed

Muqeem Finalization

Instant labor portfolio transfer in MHRSD databases and new Iqama card issuance

The Two Transfer Regimes: Consensual vs. Non-Consensual Transfers

Under Saudi law, employee transfers fall into two distinct regulatory pathways:

Pathway 1: Standard Consensual Transfer (With Notice or Contract Expiry)

At the End of Fixed-Term Contract: If your contract reaches its natural expiration date and you served timely notice of non-renewal, you are free to transfer to any employer in the Kingdom without requiring your current employer's consent.
During an Active Contract with Notice (Article 75): For open-ended contracts, you can serve a statutory 60-day notice period. Once the notice timer elapses on Qiwa, the transfer unlocks automatically.
Immediate Mutual Release (Article 74): If the current employer agrees to waive the notice period, the current employer's GRO can log into Qiwa Business and click Approve Immediate Transfer, releasing the worker instantly.

Pathway 2: Statutory Non-Consensual Transfer (Without Kafeel Consent)

Under MHRSD ministerial regulations, an expatriate worker can transfer immediately to a new employer with zero notice and zero employer approval if any of the following statutory violations occur:

Statutory Safeguards & Rights Protection

Mandatory protections enforced by MHRSD & Saudi Labor Law

1
Unpaid Wages for 3 MonthsEmployer fails to pay monthly salaries through Mudad WPS for three consecutive months or delays pay by over 30 days.
2
Unauthenticated Contract (90 Days)Employer fails to authenticate a digital employment contract on Qiwa within 90 days of arrival or transfer.
3
Expired Iqama or Work PermitSponsoring company fails to renew your Iqama or work permit within 30 days of its official expiration date.
4
Red Nitaqat ClassificationSponsoring establishment falls into the non-compliant Red Nitaqat Saudization band.
5
Involuntary Labor LitigationSponsoring employer files malicious Huroob reports or commercial cases proven baseless by labor courts.

For full details on executing a non-consensual transfer under statutory exceptions, refer to our comprehensive guide on How to Resign in Qiwa Without Kafeel Consent.

Complete Step-by-Step Transfer Walkthrough

Phase 1: New Employer Submits Job Offer on Qiwa Business

1The hiring company's GRO or HR Manager logs into Qiwa Business via Nafath.
2Under Services, select Employee Transfer (نقل موظف).
3Select Transfer from Another Employer (نقل من منشأة أخرى).
4Input the candidate's Iqama Number and Date of Birth / Iqama Expiry Date.
5The system performs automated eligibility checks:

- Validates candidate's current profession.

- Confirms hiring company's Nitaqat quota and Saudization bandwidth.

- Verifies establishment has zero active WPS wage blocks.

6The employer drafts the digital job offer: Basic salary, housing, transportation, working hours, probation period, and contract duration.
7Click Submit Transfer Request. The system assigns a unique Ministry Request Tracking Number.

Phase 2: Employee Accepts the Offer on Qiwa Individuals

1The expatriate receives an official SMS from MHRSD stating: "A transfer request has been submitted by [Company Name]. Please review within 10 days."
2The worker visits qiwa.sa and logs into Qiwa Individuals using Nafath SSO.
3Go to Services → Employee Transfer Requests (طلبات نقل الخدمات).
4Click on the pending request to review the detailed contractual terms.
5If the compensation and terms match expectations, click Accept Request (الموافقة على الطلب).
6If the terms are inaccurate, click Reject Request. You have exactly 10 calendar days to take action before the offer auto-expires.

Phase 3: Current Employer Notification & Notice Countdown

Once the employee accepts:

If transferring under Article 81 / LRI breach: The system bypasses the current employer completely. The status updates immediately to Approved - Pending Transfer Completion.
If transferring under an active contract: The current employer receives an electronic notification. If a notice period is required, Qiwa begins a 60-day countdown timer. During this time, the employee continues working, receiving full salaries via Mudad.
Immediate Waiver: The current employer can click Approve Waiver on Qiwa Business to eliminate the 60-day wait, unlocking instant completion.

Phase 4: Paying Statutory Government Fees (SADAD Biller 048)

Once the transfer reaches approved status, government sponsorship fees must be settled. Under Article 40 (Paragraph 1) of the Saudi Labor Law, the hiring employer is legally obligated to bear all transfer fees. Deducting these fees from the employee's salary is strictly illegal.

Official MOI / Jawazat Transfer Fee Schedule:

First Transfer of Sponsorship: SAR 2,000
Second Transfer of Sponsorship: SAR 4,000
Third and Subsequent Transfers: SAR 6,000

Payment Process via Online Banking:

1Log into your Saudi corporate or personal banking portal (SNB, Al Rajhi, Riyad Bank, etc.).
2Navigate to SADAD / Government Payments (المدفوعات الحكومية).
3Select Category: Alien Control / Jawazat (الجوازات).
4Select Service: Transfer of Sponsorship (نقل الخدمات).
5Input the worker's Iqama Number. The system automatically pulls the applicable fee based on historical transfer counts.
6Confirm and pay the fee.

Phase 5: Finalizing the Transfer in Muqeem

1The hiring company's authorized GRO logs into Muqeem (مقيم) at muqeem.sa.
2Under Electronic Transactions, click Transfer of Sponsorship (نقل الخدمات).
3Select the approved transaction and click Finalize Transfer (إتمام نقل الكفالة).
4The expatriate worker is instantly added to the establishment's Muqeem active resident roll.
5The GRO prints a newly updated physical residency card (Muqeem Card) bearing the new company's name.

Essential Prerequisite Checklist for Both Parties

To prevent unexpected portal rejections, verify these prerequisites before initiating a transfer:

Check ItemHiring Employer RequirementExpatriate Worker Requirement
Nitaqat StandingMust be in Medium Green, High Green, or Platinum band.Sponsoring company status determines whether consent bypass applies.
Wage Protection (WPS)Minimum 80%+ compliance ratio on Mudad; zero active payroll blocks.Sponsoring company wage default (3 months) unlocks instant exit.
Traffic ViolationsCorporate vehicles must have zero unpaid traffic fines.All personal traffic fines must be paid in full on Absher.
Residency ValidityActive Commercial Registration (CR) and municipal Balady licenses.Iqama must be active (or expired over 30 days to unlock non-consensual exit).
Visa ConflictsSufficient unutilized expatriate visa quota in Qiwa labor pool.No active Exit Re-entry visa or Final Exit visa registered on Absher.

Top 5 Qiwa Transfer Error Messages & Verified Fixes

1. "Worker Not Eligible for Transfer" (العامل غير مؤهل لنقل الخدمة)

Root Cause: The worker has an unsettled traffic violation, an active exit re-entry visa, an uncancelled prior transfer request, or is registered under a 100% localized profession restricted by Saudization decrees.
Resolution: Cancel any active exit visas on Absher, pay all traffic fines via SADAD, and verify that the target profession is eligible for expatriate staffing.

2. "Establishment Balance / Quota Exceeded"

Root Cause: The hiring employer does not have sufficient recruitment or transfer quota under their Nitaqat economic activity.
Resolution: The hiring company must recruit additional Saudi nationals to improve their Nitaqat ratio, or apply for an expanded visa allocation via Qiwa.

3. "Transfer Stuck in: Approved - Pending Employee Transfer Completion"

Root Cause: The Qiwa approval succeeded, but the new employer has not paid the SADAD Jawazat fee or has not finalized the transaction in Muqeem.
Resolution: This status carries a strict 90-day expiration window. Follow our comprehensive playbook: Approved Pending Employee Transfer Completion in Qiwa: 90-Day Status Fix.

4. "Cannot Initiate: Active Dispute Exists"

Root Cause: A pending lawsuit or grievance is currently registered before the MHRSD Amicable Settlement (Waddi) department.
Resolution: Settle or withdraw the pending dispute, or obtain a formal judicial transfer authorization order from the presiding Labor Court judge.

5. "Profession Requires Professional Accreditation"

Root Cause: The worker's job title is categorized under Engineering, Accounting, or Healthcare, but the worker lacks verified registration.
Resolution: Obtain official membership from the Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE) or SOCPA before submitting the transfer request.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can my current employer cancel a transfer request once I accept it on Qiwa?

No. Once an employee accepts a valid transfer request on Qiwa Individuals, the current employer has no administrative power to unilaterally cancel or delete the transaction. They can only enforce the contractual 60-day notice period if no statutory breaches apply.

Who is legally responsible for paying the sponsorship transfer fee?

Under Article 40, Paragraph 1 of the Saudi Labor Law, the new hiring employer is strictly responsible for paying the Jawazat transfer fee. Requiring the employee to pay this fee or deducting it from their salary is a severe regulatory violation.

How long does the entire Qiwa transfer process take?

If transferring without a notice period (under Article 81 or mutual consent), the entire process from offer submission to final Muqeem card printing typically takes 24 to 72 hours. If a 60-day notice period applies, the transfer completes on Day 61.

Can I travel outside Saudi Arabia while my transfer is pending?

No. You should not travel on an Exit Re-entry visa while a transfer is pending, as having an active re-entry visa automatically blocks MHRSD from finalizing the sponsorship change. Complete the transfer first, then have your new employer issue your travel visa.

What happens to my End of Service Benefits (ESB) when I transfer?

Your previous employer is legally obligated under Article 88 to disburse all earned End of Service Benefits and accrued leave pay directly to your bank account within 15 days of the completed transfer date.

Need Specialized Assistance with Expatriate Sponsorship Mobility?

For corporate workforce transitions, high-volume sponsorship transfers, or resolving complex MHRSD transfer restrictions, explore our authoritative Qiwa Platform Master Manual or consult our corporate immigration advocates for expert regulatory advisory.