Employee Onboarding & Offboarding in Saudi Arabia
Offboarding is where liability hides. An employee leaves, the payroll stops, and everyone moves on — but the GOSI registration is still live, the iqama was never cancelled, and the establishment is still carrying them. It surfaces months later, during something unrelated.
In short
Onboarding an employee in Saudi Arabia requires a sequence across several authorities: authenticated Qiwa contract, GOSI registration, work permit, iqama issuance and medical insurance. Offboarding requires the reverse, plus final settlement and exit. SCPL runs both sequences so nothing is left open against your establishment.
What's included
What SCPL handles under Onboarding & offboarding
Employers with regular joiner and leaver movement, and companies mobilising staff for project starts.
- Contract and authentication
- Drafting to Saudi labour law and authenticating on Qiwa.
- Registrations
- GOSI enrolment, work permit and medical insurance (CCHI) activation.
- Iqama issuance
- Coordinated with arrival so the employee can work without delay.
- Final settlement
- End-of-service, leave encashment and outstanding dues, calculated to law.
- Deregistration
- GOSI, insurance, work permit and iqama cancellation — closed cleanly.
- Final exit
- Exit processing so no residual liability remains against the establishment.
Free tools
Work out where you stand before you call
No sign-up to use them. We only ask for an email if you want the result as a PDF.
Common questions
What must be completed before a new employee can legally start work?
At minimum: an authenticated employment contract on Qiwa, a valid work permit, GOSI registration and medical insurance. The iqama follows arrival. Starting someone before these are in place creates exposure for the employer, not the employee.
What is commonly missed when an employee leaves?
Deregistration. Payroll stops and the file closes, but GOSI enrolment, medical insurance, the work permit and the iqama can all remain active against the establishment. Each carries cost or compliance consequences that surface later.
Guides on this subject
Related services
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