Saudi Arabia has rolled out a more flexible residency permit renewal system for domestic workers, allowing employers to issue or renew iqamas for periods as short as three months through the Absher platform.The new service, introduced by the Ministry of Interior through the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) in partnership with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Musaned platform, replaces the previous system that limited renewals to one or two years.Employers can now choose permit durations of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 months, giving them greater flexibility to match their employment needs.The ministry said residency fees will now be charged only for the selected validity period, allowing employers to make payments every three months when opting for permits issued or renewed in quarterly increments.According to the ministry, the changes are designed to ease employers’ financial commitments while offering more flexible residency options for domestic workers. The initiative also forms part of Saudi Arabia’s wider efforts to modernise government services, expand digital solutions and improve the efficiency of residency procedures.
