Saudi Arabia has changed its work visa procedure so that expatriate workers can bring their families to the Kingdom while the visa process is still underway, The Siasat Daily reports. Previously, family members had to wait until the worker completed the entire work visa process before they could join him or her in the country.

The change removes a waiting period that forced many foreign employees to live apart from spouses and children during the administrative stages of employment-based relocation to Saudi Arabia.

Who does the change affect?

The new rule applies to expatriate workers applying for Saudi work visas who want to be accompanied by their families. Under the earlier procedure, the worker first had to finish the visa process on his or her own; only then could dependents follow.

Now the family can travel and stay with the worker during the process itself. This covers the window between the start of the work visa application and its completion — the stage when families were previously required to remain outside the Kingdom.

What changes in practice?

For expatriate employees and employers in Saudi Arabia, the sequence of a typical relocation now looks different:

• The worker starts the work visa process as before.
• Family members no longer need to wait abroad until the process is complete.
• Dependents can join the worker in the Kingdom during the visa procedure.

The core work visa requirements themselves are not reported to have changed. What has changed is the timing of when families may enter and remain in Saudi Arabia relative to the worker's application.

Why does this matter for foreign workers?

Saudi Arabia hosts one of the world's largest expatriate workforces, and family separation during relocation has long been a practical burden for employees moving to the Kingdom. Allowing families to arrive during the visa process shortens the period of separation and can make Saudi-based employment offers easier to accept for workers with spouses and children.

For employers, the change can simplify recruitment of foreign staff who previously had to plan a two-stage move: first the worker alone, then the family after the permit was finalized.

Where to verify the details?

The Siasat Daily carried the report on the revised procedure. Workers and employers planning a move to Saudi Arabia should check the current requirements with the official Saudi authorities handling work visas and family entry before making travel arrangements, as procedures and eligibility conditions for dependents are set by the Kingdom's immigration and labour authorities.

This article reports the change as announced and does not provide individual legal advice on any specific visa case.