Saudi Arabia Eases Iqama Renewal Rules for Bangladeshi Workers

Saudi Arabia has introduced a major relief for Bangladeshi expatriates. From now on if an employer fails to renew a worker's Iqama (residency permit) for any reason the worker can legally transfer their Iqama to a new sponsor without facing legal barriers.

Saudi Deputy Minister of Human Resources Muhannad bin Ahmed Al-Issa announced the policy during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Expatriates' Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury in Dhaka on Tuesday (August 4).

During the bilateral talks Bangladesh proposed several initiatives to strengthen labor cooperation. Key proposals included establishing a "Saudi-Bangladesh Joint Technical Training Institute" to teach Arabic Saudi laws and vocational skills prior to departure. Dhaka also advocated for mutual recognition of professional qualifications to boost the recruitment of skilled Bangladeshi workers in the Saudi healthcare construction IT and hospitality sectors.

Furthermore Bangladesh urged Saudi authorities to ensure the timely issuance of work permits secure the rights of female domestic workers and recruit more skilled manpower ahead of the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Ministry also requested amnesty for Bangladeshi detainees in Saudi Safar jails ahead of the upcoming holy months.

In response the Saudi delegation expressed strong interest in hiring skilled Bangladeshi professionals. Al-Issa confirmed that Saudi Arabia has implemented a comprehensive wage protection and insurance system to safeguard worker rights. He also assured that the Saudi government would seriously review the amnesty request for detained workers once formal details are submitted through diplomatic channels.