Cabinet agreed to extend its waiver for fees imposed on expat workers in the industrial sector during its weekly meeting yesterday, according to state news agency SPA. The waiver will be extended for three months and will now expire on 31 December, 2024. The initial waiver period was set to expire this October.

Background: The government decided in 2019 to “bear the cost of fees for expatriate workers on behalf of licensed industrial institutions” for a five-year period, with the waiver coming into effect on 1 October of that year. Prior to the introduction of the waiver, the government had imposed fees on expatriates working in the industrial sector — a cornerstone of the economy — to support its Saudization drive.

The cabinet also approved the following decisions in its weekly meeting yesterday:

  • A mutual short-term residence visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and special passports with Uzbekistan;
  • An MoU on cultural cooperation with China;
  • An MoU on Judicial cooperation with Hong Kong;
  • An MoU on road safety and maintenance with Bahrain;
  • An MoU on tourism with Switzerland;
  • An MoU on tackling crime, terrorism, and money laundering with Yemen;
  • An MoU on political consultations with Luxembourg;
  • An MoU for mineral resources cooperation with Ethiopia and Austria;
  • An MoU for direct investment with Georgia;
  • An MoU on technical and vocational training with Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC);
  • Extending the state’s financial support for expatriate workers in industrial facilities until the end of 2025.
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