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.
Reviewed September 2026
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.
Who we work for
Trusted by operators who cannot afford downtime
Energy, petrochemicals, mining, utilities and construction — organisations where a lapsed permit or an unfilled shift stops work, not just paperwork.
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
Talk to someone who does onboarding & offboarding every day
Tell us the situation and we'll tell you what it actually takes to fix it — including when the answer is that you don't need us.