Canadian citizens seeking employment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia need an employment visa prior to entering the Kingdom.

Obtaining an employment visa is a complex and lengthy process and may take four to six weeks. Please prioritize this phase of your Application Process. We have described the process in details below.

Step-by-Step Process in detail:

Step 1 - Application, Medical & Visa Forms

Once you have accepted an employment offer from your employer in Saudi Arabia, we will begin the visa process for you and send you all the required forms along with the instructions to complete these forms. 

Step 2 - Medicals

Medicals are required by the Saudi Embassy for Work Visa and for Residency Visa for spouse and children ages 16 and above. 

Schedule an appointment with your physician to complete the medicals required by your Saudi employer and for the medical report for the embassy.

The medical report must be signed & stamped by a licensed physician. The name, license number and address of the physician should appear on each copy. Medical reports should be used within three months from the date of issuance.

The following medical lab test results are needed for your medical report for the embassy:

• Chest X-Ray and PPD
• Syphilis Serology (VDRL/TPHA)
• HIV
• Hepatitis B and C
• Blood Workup and Screening Profile (Hemoglobin, WBC, RBC, Platelets, Cholesterol Panel, Liver Function Tests, Fasting Blood Sugar, Renal Function Tests)
• Stool Analysis
• Urine Analysis
• Pregnancy Test (if applicable)

Once you have all the lab test reports, fax/email them to us. Our physician consultant will review these reports and advise you if any required result is missing. 

Once your medical report is signed and stamped by the physician, it must be stamped by the College of Physicians of the issuing province. If you have any difficulty contacting the College of Physicians, contact us and we will provide you their address and the phone number.

Step 3 - Passport Renewal

Make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months beyond the planned date of entry into the Kingdom and has at least two clear adjacent visa pages. If not, apply for a new passport immediately.

Step 4 - Education Verification

Your Canadian issued degree/diploma must be authenticated by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau in Ottawa. 

Visit the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau website and follow the step-by-step instructions to register and apply online for document authentication.

Include a copy of your online application summary or the application tracking number when sending the original documents to the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau.

Contact your university/college/school/institution and request them to mail your official transcripts in a sealed envelope to the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau.

For Professional License/Registration verification, contact the issuing authority and request them to send an email message to the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau confirming the validity of the license/registration.

Once the credentials have been authenticated by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau, we will then get them authenticated by the Saudi Embassy.

Children's educational credentials:

Expatriates' children planning to attend school (Kindergarten - High School) in Saudi Arabia must have their Canadian school transcripts authenticated by the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau. This process may take 2-4 weeks and should be completed prior to their arrival in Saudi Arabia. Please contact us for more details.

Step 5 - Police Report

To obtain a Police Report, you can either:

• Go to your local Police Station and request a Police Clearance Report for yourself. Or
• Go to the website myBackCheck.com  and order a Police Report online.

Step 6 - Mail us your completed documents

Mail the following documents to us (using express/overnight service):

• Completed and signed Visa Application for the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
• Completed Medical Report for the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
• Medical Lab Test Reports (must not be more than 3 months old)
• Signed Statement of Religion
• Passport valid for at least nine months with at least two clear adjacent visa pages
• Six recent passport size pictures with white background
• A recent original Police Report
• Your original signed Employment Contract
• A release letter from the previous employer, if the applicant has worked in Saudi Arabia before. This applies only if the last employment in Saudi Arabia ended within the last three (3) years.
• Other Medical or Application Forms (required by your Saudi employer but not a visa application requirement)

Step 7 - Visa Application Submission

We will submit your application (along with all the required documents/items) to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia. The embassy usually takes five to seven business days to issue a visa. We will keep you updated about your visa application progress if it takes longer than usual for any reason.

Step 8 - Visa Process Completion

As soon as we receive your passport back from the Saudi embassy with visa stamp, we will mail you your passport back along with other job related and travel documents. We will also provide you a Tracking number so you know when to expect this important package.

Step 9 - Travel Arrangement

We will provide you your travel itinerary for your approval. Once you approve, we will provide you airline ticket or eTicket for your approved travel itinerary.

Step 10 - Final Preparation

Once you receive your eTicket from us, we will provide you all the necessary information and guidance to prepare you for your journey to your new home.