Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Council of Ministers on Tuesday decided that expatriates, who are holders of Premium Residency, will have the same status of Saudi citizens with regard to payment of annual levy for house workers.

The Cabinet approved a proposal to treat the holder of a Premium Residency Permit (Premium Iqama) as a Saudi regarding the number of domestic workers allowed to be recruited without the payment of an annual levy.

As per the Cabinet decision, Premium Residency holders need to pay an annual fee of SR9,600 for each house worker if their number exceeds four.

However, in the case of expatriates without having a Premium Residency, they have to pay an annual fee of SR9,600 for each house worker if their number exceeds two.

The Council of Ministers decided on March 8, 2022, to selectively impose a levy on domestic workers.

Accordingly, Saudi employers will have to pay an annual fee of SR9,600 for each house worker if their number exceeds four while expatriate employers will have to pay the same amount for each worker in excess of two.

The Saudi government started implementing this regulation in two phases. The first phase, which came into force on May 22, 2022, is applicable to only new house workers, who were recruited during the first year after issuance of the Cabinet decision.

The second phase is applicable for both new and existing domestic workers in excess of the exempted number, effective from May 11, 2023.

In another development, the Cabinet on Tuesday approved, in principle, that trains should be one of the approved means of transport for carrying civilian and military employees in cases where it is legally necessary to ensure them the means of transport.