20Aug

Saudi Arabia Work Visa Process for Pakistan: A Complete Guide

Saudi Arabia Work Visa Process for Pakistanis: A Complete Guide

Saudi Arabia Work Visa for Pakistanis: Full Process 2026

Licensed Overseas Employment Promoter since 1978 BEOE Licence No. 0658/RWP

A Saudi work visa for a Pakistani worker is issued after a Saudi employer files a block visa, the worker clears a GAMCA medical and NAVTTC trade test, gets documents attested through MOFA, and receives Protector of Emigrants clearance from BEOE. The process usually takes about two to eight weeks, depending on the visa category and how quickly your medical and document attestation are completed. Attestation of degrees and diplomas is the stage that most often adds time.

At a glance

Item	Detail
Processing time	6–8 weeks (varies by trade and embassy load)
Key systems involved	BEOE, NAVTTC, GAMCA/Wafid, MOFA, Enjaz, Tasheer, Qiwa/Muqeem
Emigrant Registration with BEOE	Registered through a BEOE-licensed OEP
Entry validity	Visa valid 90 days for entry; Iqama issued within 90 days of arrival

Most guides about this process are written by people who have read about it. This one is written by an agency that runs it. Iqbal Manpower Consultants has been a licensed Overseas Employment Promoter since 1978, BEOE Licence No. 0658/RWP, and the steps below are the ones our staff walk workers through every week.

What is the Saudi work visa process for Pakistani workers?

The Saudi work visa process is a chain that runs across two countries. On the Saudi side, your employer gets government permission to hire a foreign worker and files a block visa. On the Pakistani side, you complete a trade test, a medical, and document attestation, and you cannot legally leave without emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants. A licensed recruitment agency connects the two halves.

What documents do you need?

Prepare these before you start. A missing or incorrectly attested document is the most common cause of delay, and every stage below depends on this file being complete:

Passport, valid at least 18 months, with two blank pages
Recent passport-size photographs with a white background
CV listing your trade and experience
Educational and professional certificates
Trade or skill certificate(NAVTTC) for your profession
Experience letters from previous employers
Police Clearance Certificate (PCC), where the employer requires it (Mandatory)
GAMCA/Wafid medical fitness report
CNIC copy
Attested employment agreement from the employer

Step by step: how the process actually works

Tap any step to read the detail.

Demand letter and power of attorney from the Saudi employer

The process starts in Saudi Arabia, not Pakistan. The employer issues a demand letter stating the trades and number of workers needed, plus a power of attorney authorising the agency to recruit on its behalf. These are attested by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and the Pakistan embassy before recruitment can begin.

BEOE job order registration

The licensed agency registers the demand with the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment. This is the legal permission to recruit for that specific job order. Without it, no recruitment is lawful — and this is the first thing that separates a licensed OEP from an unlicensed agent.

Candidate selection and NAVTTC trade testing

Candidates are shortlisted and, for skilled trades, tested. NAVTTC (National Vocational & Technical Training Commission) trade tests verify that a welder can weld and an electrician can wire. Some employers send their own technical staff to conduct trade tests directly. Passing this stage is what turns an applicant into a selected worker.

GAMCA / Wafid medical examination

Every Gulf work visa requires a medical at a GAMCA/Wafid-approved centre — you cannot use your own doctor, and a private report will be rejected. The exam screens for infectious diseases and general fitness, and results are valid for three months. A “Fit” result is required to continue; an “Unfit” result stops the process here.

Document attestation (MOFA, HEC, IBCC)

Your certificates must be attested through a chain: academic documents through IBCC (for boards) or HEC (for degrees), then final attestation by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and Saudi Embassy attestation. This is the stage most likely to add time .

Visa stamping through Enjaz

The visa application is submitted through Enjaz, Saudi Arabia's electronic visa platform, using the employer's block visa number. Government fees are paid here. Once processed, the visa is stamped into the passport. Stamping typically takes a few working days after the file is complete.

Tasheer biometric enrollment

You attend an in-person appointment at a Tasheer visa centre (walk-ins are not accepted — you need a booking). The centre collects fingerprints and a facial scan linked to your visa record, and you physically submit your passport and document packet. The centre charges its own service fee, separate from the Enjaz government fees.

Protector of Emigrants clearance

Before you can legally leave Pakistan, you need emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants, recorded on your passport. This is mandatory for every Pakistani worker going abroad for employment, and it is only available through a BEOE-licensed OEP. This clearance is your legal protection — it means your job and contract are on record with the government.

Pre-departure orientation

Before departure, workers receive a briefing on Saudi laws, workplace rules, culture, and their rights under the contract.

Departure and Iqama after arrival

You travel on a visa valid for 90 days from issue. After you arrive, your employer registers your Iqama (residence permit) within 90 days. The Iqama becomes your main identity document in the Kingdom and is tied to your employer as sponsor.

What are the age limits and eligibility rules?

Most Saudi work visas require applicants to be between 21 and around 57, though the exact range depends on the trade and the employer. You need a valid passport, the skill or trade the job requires, a “Fit” GAMCA medical, and a clean set of attestable documents. Some roles ask for a Police Clearance Certificate. Eligibility is set by the employer and the Saudi authorities, not by the agency.

Warning: the risks of an Azad (free) visa

Proceed with caution

You will hear about the “Azad visa” — sometimes called a free visa. The name is misleading. An Azad visa is one where you are expected to find your own work in Saudi Arabia rather than being tied to the sponsoring employer. It sounds like freedom. In practice it is where most workers get hurt.

On an Azad visa, every cost falls on you. You pay the visa fee, the visa processing, the medical, the Takamul registration, and even your Iqama fee inside Saudi Arabia. You also arrange your own accommodation and living expenses. And within the period allowed, you must either transfer to a new sponsor or pay your current sponsor a yearly fee to keep your Iqama valid.

Note: if your sponsor is not a trustworthy person, he can create problems for you at almost any stage — blocking your Iqama renewal, refusing to transfer your visa, delaying a new visa, or even filing a complaint against you. On an Azad visa you depend entirely on that sponsor's goodwill, and you carry the consequences if it fails.

How to check your agency is licensed before you pay

This is the step that protects everything else. Before you hand over documents or money, confirm the agency holds a valid OEP licence:

1 Go to the Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment website, beoe.gov.pk.
2 Open the list of licensed Overseas Employment Promoters.
3 Search the agency's name or licence number.
4 Confirm it is listed and valid.

You can verify Iqbal Manpower Consultants there under Licence No. 0658/RWP. We would rather you checked than trusted us blindly — the same habit protects you from every fake agent. Our full credentials, and a step-by-step guide to spotting impersonators, are on our Legal Status page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the age limit for a Saudi work visa?

Most Saudi work visas require applicants to be between 21 and about 57 years old. The exact range depends on the trade and the employer, and some skilled roles accept older, more experienced workers.

How long does the Saudi work visa process take from Pakistan?

The full process usually takes six to eight weeks, from the employer's demand letter to departure. Document attestation and trade testing are the stages that most often add time.

How much does a Saudi work visa cost from Pakistan?

Costs cover official government fees, the GAMCA medical, the air ticket, and the agency's government-permitted service charge. Always insist on a receipt, and never pay into a personal account.

What is the difference between an Azad visa and a company visa?

A company visa ties you to a named employer with a verifiable contract and profession. An Azad, or “free,” visa expects you to find your own work.

Start your Saudi journey the safe way

The workers who reach Saudi Arabia without losing their savings are the ones who checked the licence, insisted on a contract, and refused to pay into a personal account. Do those three things and most of the danger disappears. Iqbal Manpower Consultants has processed this route since 1978 — verify our licence, 0658/RWP, on the BEOE website, then talk to our team about the jobs we are recruiting for now.

Step 1: verify 0658/RWP on beoe.gov.pk Step 2: contact IMC

Iqbal Manpower Consultants · Licensed Overseas Employment Promoter since 1978 · BEOE Licence No. 0658/RWP