Saudi Arabia Approves 3,484 Companies Whose Workers Can Now Apply for Residency Permit
- Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency Center approved 3,484 private-sector entities whose employees may qualify for the Special Talent Premium Residency
- The programme targets high-calibre professionals in scientific, administrative and research fields who meet strict salary and experience requirements
- Successful applicants gain benefits including family residency rights, freedom to switch employers, and exemption from expatriate and dependent fees
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Saudi Arabia's Premium Residency Center has approved 3,484 private-sector companies whose employees may be eligible to apply for the country's Special Talent Premium Residency.
The programme is designed to attract top-tier professionals working in scientific, administrative and research disciplines, with the goal of strengthening Saudi Arabia's local expertise base and encouraging knowledge transfer across key sectors.
Source: UGC
What the Special Talent Residency Offers
Workers who successfully obtain the Special Talent Premium Residency gain a wide set of benefits.
These include the right to live in Saudi Arabia with their immediate family, parents, spouses and children below the age of 25, along with the freedom to move between employers without restrictions.
Holders are also exempt from expatriate and dependent fees, can exit and re-enter the country without a visa, and receive priority access through dedicated lanes at ports of entry that are normally reserved for Saudi and GCC nationals.
Beyond those core benefits, spouses and children of permit holders are permitted to work in the private sector and change jobs freely.
Families can also conduct commercial activities in line with Saudi Arabia's Investment Law and own real estate.
Longer-term, holders of the residency may become eligible for permanent premium residency status, and the primary applicant is exempt from the Nitaqat programme, which typically governs workforce localisation requirements.
Two Tracks and What They Require
Eligibility for the programme runs along two separate tracks. The first covers researchers and scientific or health talents.
Applicants on this track must hold an employment contract with one of the 3,484 approved entities in a priority specialisation, earn at least SR14,000 per month, hold a bachelor's degree, have over three years of relevant experience, meet a minimum points threshold, submit an employer recommendation letter, and provide three research papers in a related field.
The second track is for scientific and health professionals, and carries a higher salary bar. Requirements include an employment contract with an approved entity, a minimum monthly salary of SR35,000, a bachelor's degree or higher, more than three years of relevant experience, a points threshold, and an employer recommendation letter.
The announcement signals Saudi Arabia's continued push to position itself as a destination for globally competitive talent, particularly in health and science sectors central to its broader economic transformation agenda.
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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a Saudi Arabia published an official payroll structure for foreign engineers, covering three qualification levels under a royal decree.
The salary scale includes a basic pay component and an experience allowance, with a 15% cost-of-living adjustment applied across all grades.
Source: Legit.ng
