An iqama profession change is one of the most searched expat services in Saudi Arabia, and also one of the most misunderstood. Many workers try to do it themselves on Absher, many guides still quote a SAR 2,000 fee, and plenty of employers only find out after submitting that their company is not eligible. The occupation on your iqama is not a formality either: under the Labor Law, a worker may not work in an occupation other than the one on his work permit until the official change is complete. This guide explains how the change actually works in 2026, from the Qiwa request to the employee’s approval, the fee, the requirements, the job titles that are currently blocked and how to check the status, based on what the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) and Qiwa publish.
The short version
- The employer submits the change on Qiwa. The worker cannot start it himself on Absher.
- The employee must accept the request in his Qiwa individual account within 10 days.
- The government fee is SAR 1,000 per change, paid by the employer through Absher Business or Muqeem. The widely quoted SAR 2,000 is out of date.
- The company must be Platinum or Green in Nitaqat. Red-band establishments cannot change occupations.
- Engineers, accountants and veterinarians need a valid certificate from their professional body first.
- Domestic workers, such as house drivers, are handled through Musaned and Jawazat, not Qiwa.
Change vs correction: two different services
Qiwa’s Occupation Management offers two options, and choosing the right one saves money:
| Service | What it does | Fee and approval |
|---|---|---|
| Change occupation | Moves the worker to any permitted occupation | SAR 1,000; the employee approves within 10 days |
| Correct occupation | Fixes an old generic title to match the official classification | Free once per employee; reviewed by the National Information Center |
A correction is meant for old, vague titles such as “worker”, “ordinary worker”, “doctor”, “engineer”, “expert” or “specialist”, which were re-coded when Saudi Arabia aligned occupations with its unified classification (based on the international ISCO standard). The correction options are predefined, so you cannot use it to move someone into a completely different job. The “first change is free” claim you may read online is a misreading of this one-time correction.
How much does an iqama profession change cost?
The government fee for changing an occupation is SAR 1,000, according to Qiwa’s service page. The Qiwa e-service itself is free, which is why the HRSD service card shows “free”. Musaned lists the same SAR 1,000 for changing a domestic worker’s profession.
Under Article 40 of the Labor Law, the employer pays profession change fees, along with iqama and work permit fees. The SAR 2,000 figure that still circulates comes from 2022 articles. SAR 2,000 is actually the fee for a first transfer of services, which is a different transaction. Figures such as SAR 1,015 have no official basis either.
Requirements for the company and the worker
The establishment
- All licences and the commercial registration (CR) are valid, and the establishment is active.
- It is in the Platinum or Green Nitaqat band. If you are not sure where you stand, our guide to Nitaqat bands on Qiwa explains how to check and how to move up.
- Its employees in the group hold valid work permits.
- It is not registered for farming, shepherding, equestrian or domestic labour rental activities.
- The request is submitted by the Group Manager or an authorised establishment delegator on Qiwa.
The worker
- A valid work permit and iqama. Since July 2026 Qiwa automatically removes a resident from an establishment’s records when the work permit has been expired for more than three months, so renew it first.
- No pending transfer of services and no other pending occupation change.
- No active final exit visa.
- The new occupation is not reserved for Saudis under localization decisions.
Professional certificates and “without certificate”
Qiwa does not ask for any documents to be uploaded, and HRSD has said that changing between general occupations is the employer’s decision. Regulated occupations are different. Before the change, the worker needs a valid certificate from the relevant body:
| Target occupation | Required before the change |
|---|---|
| Engineering occupations | Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE) professional certificate |
| Accounting occupations | SOCPA certificate |
| Veterinary occupations | Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture certificate |
| Health occupations | Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) licence to practise |
So “changing to engineer” is possible only if the worker can obtain SCE accreditation, which requires a recognised engineering degree and documented experience. Without that certificate the system will not accept the change.
Step by step on Qiwa
Employer side
- Log in to your Qiwa business account.
- Go to Services, then Occupation Management under Manage current employees.
- Click Manage occupation requests and choose Change occupations (or Correct occupations for a free classification fix).
- Select the employee by iqama number or name.
- Choose the new occupation from the list. Qiwa’s Occupation Finder tool can help you pick the right official title.
- Review the summary, accept the terms and click Submit request.
- Ask the employee to approve within 10 days.
- After approval, pay the SAR 1,000 fee and complete the request through Absher Business or Muqeem.
- Once the National Information Center accepts it, the new occupation is recorded and GOSI is updated automatically.
Employee side
- Register or log in to your Qiwa individual account.
- Open Services, then Occupation Management (in Arabic: تغيير مهنة).
- Review the new occupation and choose Accept, Request amendments or Reject.
If you do not respond within 10 days, the request lapses and the employer has to submit it again. The employer can cancel a request only before you accept it, or after you reject it.
How long does it take?
Qiwa describes the e-service as instant, and in a smooth case the whole change can be done in a day or two. In practice the time depends on three things: how quickly the employee accepts (up to 10 days), when the employer pays the fee, and the National Information Center’s review. There is no official end-to-end timeline, so plan ahead if the new title is needed for a licence, a visa or a family matter.
How to check the status and see the new profession
- Employer: Qiwa, Occupation Management, then List of change requests, which shows each request’s status.
- Employee: Qiwa individual account, Occupation Management.
- After completion: the new occupation appears in your Absher Individuals profile and on the digital iqama, which Jawazat accepts as valid. GOSI records update on their own.
Whether a new physical iqama card must be printed is not clearly stated anywhere in 2026. If you need the card, the employer can arrange printing through Jawazat or Saudi Post.
Note that an occupation change does not change the salary. If the new role comes with a new wage, the employer updates the contract and GOSI wage separately.
Job titles that are currently blocked
Since late January 2026, Qiwa has blocked expatriate occupation changes to or from four titles: General Manager, Sales Representative, Marketing Specialist and Procurement Manager. This followed the 60% localization requirement for sales occupations. After the first reports, it was clarified that General Manager is not reserved for Saudis, but the title must appear in the company’s commercial registration under the same name. These rules were reported by the press and law firms rather than in a formal public notice, so check Qiwa before you submit.
Domestic workers and moving to “private driver”
House drivers, housemaids and other domestic workers are outside Qiwa’s occupation service:
- Changing a domestic worker’s profession under the same household sponsor (for example to private driver) goes through Musaned and Absher–Jawazat. Musaned lists the fee as SAR 1,000.
- A company worker who wants to become a private driver needs a transfer of services from the establishment to the individual through Musaned. The target occupation must be a domestic one, and some higher professions are excluded. Musaned sends the occupation change automatically with the transfer request.
- A domestic worker moving to a company is transferred through Qiwa, with the household employer approving in Musaned. The new employer then changes the occupation on Qiwa.
Transfer of services has its own fees (SAR 2,000 for the first transfer), so confirm the invoice before paying.
Common reasons a request is rejected
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Establishment in the Red band | Raise the Saudization rate until you reach Green |
| Expired CR or licences | Renew them, then resubmit |
| Target occupation reserved for Saudis | Choose a permitted occupation |
| One of the four blocked titles | Use another title; for General Manager, register the title in the CR |
| Missing SCE, SOCPA or SCFHS certificate | Obtain or renew it first |
| Expired work permit | Renew the work permit before submitting |
| Pending transfer or another pending change | Finish or cancel it first |
| Active final exit visa | The change is not possible while the exit visa is active |
| Employee rejected or did not respond | Make sure the employee has a Qiwa account, then resubmit |
| Worker is not yet your employee | Complete the transfer of services first |
How Moaqeb can help
For employers, we check eligibility before anything is submitted: the Nitaqat band, the CR and licences, whether the target title is allowed and whether a professional certificate is needed. We then guide your authorised Qiwa user through the request and the fee payment remotely. For employees, we explain what the request on your Qiwa account means and what to check before you accept. If you are leaving Saudi Arabia instead, see our guide to the final exit visa. Logging in, approvals and payments always stay with you, and we never ask for passwords or verification codes. See how we help with Saudi government e-services, browse our online services or check how we quote a service.
Official sources
We checked this guide in October 2026. Fees and rules can change, so confirm them on Qiwa before you submit:
- HRSD: Change expatriate profession (service card)
- Qiwa Knowledge Center: Occupation Management, eligibility and fees
- Qiwa Knowledge Center: How to change or correct an employee’s occupation
- Qiwa Knowledge Center: Change occupation (employee side)
- Musaned: transfer of services and domestic profession change FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to change the profession on an iqama?
The government fee is SAR 1,000 per change and the employer pays it. The Qiwa e-service is free, and a one-time correction to the official classification is free. The often-quoted SAR 2,000 is out of date.
Can I change my iqama profession myself on Absher?
No. Your employer submits the request on Qiwa and you approve it in your Qiwa individual account. The employer then pays the fee and completes it through Absher Business or Muqeem.
How many days does an iqama profession change take?
Qiwa processes the request instantly, the employee has up to 10 days to approve, and then the employer pays the fee and the National Information Center gives final approval. There is no official total timeline.
Can I change my profession without a degree certificate?
Qiwa does not ask for documents, and general occupations are the employer’s decision. Regulated occupations need a valid professional certificate first, such as SCE for engineers, SOCPA for accountants and SCFHS for health workers.
Can a company in the Red Nitaqat band change an employee’s profession?
No. HRSD requires the establishment to be in the Platinum or Green band, with a valid commercial registration and licences.
How do I check my profession change status?
Employers check Qiwa, Occupation Management, List of change requests. Employees check Occupation Management in their Qiwa individual account. Once complete, the new occupation shows in Absher and on the digital iqama.
Can I change my profession to General Manager or Sales Representative?
Since late January 2026, Qiwa has blocked changes to or from General Manager, Sales Representative, Marketing Specialist and Procurement Manager for expatriates. General Manager remains possible if the title is registered in the company’s commercial registration.
Can a company worker change his profession to private driver?
Only through a transfer of services from the establishment to the individual via Musaned, because private driver is a domestic occupation. Transfer fees may apply in addition to the profession change.
