Saudi Arabia has always been considered among the most influential economies in the Middle East, and the provision of various services also plays a significant role. Increasingly, it becomes much easier for an individual to stay and work as an expatriate. Muqeem is one of the exceptional services provided by the government, which is part of the administration services implemented by the government to ensure easing procedures. This blog will clarify what the Muqeem services are, their advantages, and how they facilitate life and work in Saudi Arabia.
What are Muqeem Services?
Muqeem literally means “resident” in Arabic and refers to a bundle of online services offered by the General Directorate of Passports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). It is an online portal and provides services for residents in the Kingdom. These services are primarily targeted at employers and businessmen to enable proper dealing with the affairs related to the residency of expatriate employees. Muqeem services involve a variety of functionalities, which include but are not limited to:
- Issuance and renewal of Residency Permit (Iqama): The employer may generate a new Iqama, officially known as Residency Permit, as well as renew the old for their working expatriates via the Muqeem portal. They are also authorised to delete the residency permit for their old employees.
- Status updates: The Muqeem services update regarding the issuance of a residency permit in real-time. Employers can check the status of their request at any time.
- Exit and re-entry visas: A sponsor can provide an exit and re-entry visa to employees for exiting and subsequently returning to Saudi Arabia.
- Sponsor transfer: The Muqeem system enables the sponsorship to be transferred from one employer to the other, hence facilitating job change within the confines of Saudi Arabia.
- Update of employment information: With this service, an employer can update the employment data of foreign workers to ensure all the information is current and accurate.
Benefits of Muqeem Services
Below is a breakdown of Muqeem’s key benefits:
- Simplified administration procedures
The Muqeem platform reduces most of the administrative burden on employers through a centralised system for such tasks. This allows the business to focus on core issues other than paperwork.
- Efficient time and cost
Muqeem Services, with digitisation and automation of various processes, save valuable time and reduce costs associated with manual administration. The online platform spares one from necessitating visits to government offices physically, thus providing a very convenient solution for employers.
- Real-time tracking and updates
This gives employers the ability to track the status of their employees’ residency applications in real time, which makes the procedure more transparent and less uncertain. With this feature, employers will always be up to date on the status of their requests.
- Improved compliance
Muqeem services enable companies to stay in compliance with Saudi Arabian regulations by ensuring that all residency-related processes are correctly and effectively handled. Keeping compliance in check makes sure to avoid possible legal problems and penalties that businesses might have to bear otherwise.
- Better satisfaction of employees
The expatriate employees have stated that the better and quick processing of their matters of residency through the service provided by Muqeem. It has also reduced stress among the employees.
Key Features of Muqeem Services
The Muqeem services include a set of features that meet the requirements of both employers and expatriates. Some of the key features of Muqeem are:
- Online Residency Permit issuance and renewal
The most fundamental feature of Muqeem services is the issuance and renewal of Residency Permit. The employer can initiate these processes online by submitting the required documents and obtaining approval, which frees them from personally visiting government offices.
- Visa management
Muqeem provides services to ease the issuance, cancellation, and re-printing of exit and re-entry visas. This is necessary for foreigners who travel outside of the kingdom temporarily or are leaving permanently.
- Sponsorship transfers
Employees who wish to change jobs will be provided with hassle-free sponsorship transfer services. Muqeem services aim to make this process smooth and transparent at both ends.
- Information updates regarding employment
It facilitates any change in employment data related to foreign employees and updates the records frequently to maintain accuracy.
- Thorough reporting
The Muqeem platform offers comprehensive reporting backed by relevant analytics, which further enlightens and advises employers on all issues related to the residence status of their workforce and the processes. These reports are essential in making important decisions and planning resources for employers.
Conclusion
Muqeem services are very important in handling affairs relating to the residency of foreigners in Saudi Arabia. Muqeem eases task, provides real-time updates, and offers compliance for both employers and foreign employees. As Saudi Arabia attracts talent from all parts of the globe, efficient residency management is required to make the process easy and less daunting. Muqeem services make the process simpler and exist to support Saudi Arabia in its growth.
Gatestone Group can assist you with Muqeem services and provide relevant legal and administrative support. Their timely support ensures that the process runs smoothly, so your business and workforce receive maximum benefit from the available resources. Contact our expert consultants via email at [email protected] or call +971 4 450 1023 or +971 52 410 0849 for a free consultation on Saudi Arabia visa and Residency Permit services.
FAQs
The Muqeem portal gives you a number of services, including the renewal of residence permits and supports electronic linkage of your business to the General Directorate of Passports.
