Hire Workers in Saudi Arabia

What is Nitaqat and how does it affect our manpower hiring in Saudi Arabia?

Nitaqat is Saudi Arabia's Saudization quota system managed by MHRSD. Employers are categorised into Platinum, High Green, Low Green, Yellow, or Red bands based on the percentage of Saudi nationals in their workforce. Hiring foreign workers requires maintaining a compliant Nitaqat band. AK International supplies workers under your existing quota allocation and can advise on job title structuring that supports your Nitaqat band compliance.

How long does it take to deploy workers from India to Saudi Arabia?

Deployment to Saudi Arabia takes 20–24 working days from the date a valid demand letter is received. The timeline covers: sourcing and trade testing (Days 1–8), GAMCA medical clearance (Days 6–16), document attestation and block visa processing (Days 12–22), and travel to site (Days 20–24). Riyadh is typically the fastest at 20 days; Jeddah and Dammam at 21–22 days.

What is a block visa and do we need one for each worker batch?

A block visa is a Saudi immigration approval issued in bulk against your demand letter, covering a specific number and job title of workers. Each deployment batch requires a new block visa or an allocation from an existing approved quota. AK International manages the block visa application process in coordination with your PRO and the Saudi embassy in India.

Which sectors are in highest demand for manpower in Saudi Arabia right now?

In 2026, the highest employer demand is in logistics and last-mile delivery (driven by FMCG distribution expansion and e-commerce), warehouse operations (driven by new mega-retail distribution centres), hospitality (Vision 2030 hotels and leisure projects), facility management (Riyadh and NEOM contracts), and manufacturing (Jubail and Yanbu industrial city expansion).

Do workers need an Iqama before they can start work?

Workers enter on a work visa and are issued an Iqama (residence permit) by the sponsoring employer typically within 90 days of arrival. Workers can legally work from day one on their work visa entry stamp. AK International ensures all workers are sourced under the correct job title category that aligns with your Iqama issuance workflow.

What is the minimum batch size for a Saudi Arabia deployment?

Our minimum batch for Saudi Arabia is 15 workers. Most deployments run 25–200 workers per batch. Large-scale industrial or hospitality deployments can be structured as sequential monthly batches of 50–100 workers each to align with your onboarding capacity.