Some workers are surprised when a recruitment agent or employer asks them to pay the "cost of the work visa" they were brought to Saudi Arabia on — sometimes as a salary deduction, sometimes as a debt demanded upfront. Knowing the legal reality of this fee protects you from an illegitimate claim.
💰 The Fee: 2,000 SAR, and Who It Is Imposed On
Under Royal Decree No. M/3 of 1420H, the entry visa fee for work was amended to be 2,000 SAR. The important detail to notice: the text clearly specifies who this fee is imposed on.
"The entry visa fee for work at Saudi and non-Saudi private companies and establishments, and individuals, is amended to be (2,000) two thousand riyals."
⚖️ Why Is This a Fee on the Recruiter, Not the Worker?
Notice that the text explicitly directs the fee at "companies and establishments... and individuals" who recruit labor — that is, the sponsoring party itself, whether a business or an individual. The practical reason is simple: applying for a work visa is a formal procedure that only the sponsor/employer can submit, since the worker himself has no legal standing to apply for his own recruitment. This makes the fee, by its very nature, an obligation on whoever actually submits the application — the employer.
If your employer or recruitment agent deducted this amount from your salary or demanded you pay it as a "recruitment debt," ask them for written clarification of the legal basis for this deduction. The government fee itself is imposed on the recruiting party, and any agreement passing it on to you must be clear and consistent with your employment contract — not just a deduction imposed on you later without documentation.
✅ What should you do now?
- Review your employment contract — does it contain any clause related to recruitment or visa costs?
- If you find an undocumented deduction on your salary for this, document it and request written clarification.
- Use Sanad to check whether the deduction is legitimate based on your contract and actual situation.
- Royal Decree No. M/3 dated 17/1/1420H — amending the entry visa fee for work to be 2,000 SAR