Overview
Sponsorship transfer is among the most misunderstood labor procedures, because the rules changed materially in recent years. The Labor Reform Initiative allowed expatriate workers to move between employers in defined circumstances without the current employer's consent — but within precise conditions, not as a general rule.
In practice there are two routes: transfer with the current employer's consent, the simpler path, executed through Qiwa with electronic approval from both parties; and statutory transfer without consent, available in specific cases such as an undocumented contract, wages delayed three consecutive months, an expired iqama left unrenewed, or an employer absent from the systems.
Rapture assesses your case candidly first: do the statutory transfer conditions genuinely apply? Filing a request whose conditions are not met means rejection and delay. Where the conditions are met, we execute through Qiwa and follow through until the new sponsor's data is updated.
Government fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| First transfer | SAR 2,000 |
| Second transfer | SAR 4,000 |
| Third and later transfers | SAR 6,000 |
| Contract approval on Qiwa | 1–3 working days |
| Worker acceptance window | 10 days |
| Current employer response window | 14 days |
Current at October 2026 and subject to change by the authorities. Paid by the new employer.
Who is this service for?
- Employers wanting to transfer an employee's sponsorship from another establishment
- Expatriate workers moving to a new employer
- Those who qualify for statutory transfer without employer consent
- Establishments needing to transfer several employees in an organised batch
Required documents
- Worker's iqama number and border number
- Employment contract documented on Qiwa with the new employer
- New sponsor's commercial registration and unified establishment number
- Electronic consent from the current employer (for the consent route)
- Evidence supporting the statutory transfer case (for the no-consent route)
- Proof the new establishment is clear of Nitaqat and WPS breaches
How the process works
-
Assess transfer eligibility
We review the worker and both establishments: the new establishment's Nitaqat band, contract status, iqama validity and any suspension — and identify the correct route before filing anything.
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Document the contract and prepare the request
We document the employment contract with the new employer on Qiwa and prepare the request with matching data, since any inconsistency triggers rejection.
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File the request and settle fees
We submit the transfer request through Qiwa, settle the applicable fees, and track the counterparty's approval or the statutory route as the case requires.
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Update records and follow up
Once approved we confirm sponsor data is updated across all systems and complete the resulting updates to the iqama, work permit and GOSI registration.
Expected turnaround
Three to ten working days on the consent route; potentially longer on the statutory route depending on case review.
Frequently asked questions
Can sponsorship be transferred without the employer's consent?
Yes, but only in defined statutory cases — chiefly: an employment contract not documented within the statutory period, wages delayed for three consecutive months, an iqama left unrenewed, employer absence, or a court ruling. Outside these cases consent is required.
What are the sponsorship transfer fees?
SAR 2,000 for a worker's first transfer, SAR 4,000 for the second, and SAR 6,000 for the third and any after it. The new employer is legally responsible for paying them, together with any iqama fees the previous employer left outstanding. Contract documentation on Qiwa can add a smaller charge. Figures current at October 2026; we confirm the exact total against the worker's record before filing.
How long does a sponsorship transfer take?
Three to ten working days once consent is in place. The stages run as follows: contract approval on Qiwa takes one to three working days, the worker then has ten days to accept, and the current employer has fourteen days to respond. A contractual notice period of up to ninety days can sit on top of that, and the iqama record updates three to seven working days after approval. The statutory route without consent takes longer because the case is reviewed individually.
Can sponsorship be transferred with an expired iqama?
An expired iqama blocks the standard route and must be renewed first. Conversely, if expiry resulted from the employer failing to renew, that may itself constitute grounds for statutory transfer without their consent.
What if the new establishment is in the red Nitaqat band?
Establishments in the red band are barred from receiving sponsorship transfers. The establishment's Nitaqat position must be improved first — something we help companies address within our labor office services.
Is this handled by the labor office or Passports?
The procedure starts with the Ministry of Human Resources through Qiwa, then reflects automatically onto Passports and iqama records. There is no need to approach both separately when the procedure is executed correctly.