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The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development placed the number of transferred absconding workers at 135600 in its latest update. These transfers were completed using the Qiwa platform to integrate workers previously listed as absent without permission back into the regulated labor market. The ministry described the effort as a key component of reforms designed to address status irregularities after the standard 60-day reporting window. Officials indicated that the program has processed a wide range of cases since its introduction.
The Qiwa initiative began on September 18 2025 according to a Destination KSA report that cited the ministry. It applies to workers whose absent-from-work status followed the normal 60-day period as well as those affected by expired or terminated contracts. The platform also accommodates older absence reports that predated the current regularization drive. The ministry has required participating workers to meet defined eligibility standards for each transfer.
Workers must have spent at least one full year in the kingdom before becoming eligible for a sponsorship change the ministry has stated. New employers are required to settle any overdue permit fees associated with the previous arrangement. The program seeks to safeguard worker rights while rendering the Saudi employment market more equitable and attractive to expatriate labor. Related announcements have underscored the automated nature of the application process to reduce delays.
Separate measures have extended grace periods for domestic workers with the ministry adding six months to the regularization window in November 2025. Gulf News reported that the extension was intended to give both workers and employers additional time to resolve pending absconding cases via the Musaned platform. The ministry framed the step as part of a wider push to develop the domestic labor sector and strengthen contractual standards across household services.
Enforcement actions have accompanied the transfer program with joint inspection teams targeting illegal employment of absconding workers. Gulf News reported that a September 2026 campaign in Riyadh shut down an unlicensed center training such workers to operate unauthorized online stores. The operation involved the Ministry of Commerce the human resources ministry and Riyadh police who detained individuals operating the facility and seized materials linked to the scheme. The ministry has continued to urge reporting of irregular labor activity through official channels.
