Iqama Color Status – How to Check Iqama Color Status in Saudi Arabia 2022?
Iqama is a residency permit for migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. It is issued by the Saudi government to workers, who are required to carry it with them at all times. The Iqama is personal, and cannot be lent or given to another person, even if they have the same nationality as the worker. Workers must also have their Iqama if they want to sponsor their families.
The expiration date is not usually mentioned on the IQAMA card, so you have to check the expiry manually. In most cases, you need to renew the iqama for the next year after it expires; however, if your Kafeel has a Nitaqat Color Status, it may extend beyond one year.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nitaqat is the labor law that regulates the hiring of foreign employees in Saudi Arabia. This law was aimed at supervising and monitoring the number of expatriates in the KSA.
Nitaqat is the nationalization program for industries. This program executed by KACST (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology) aims to control the percentage of non-Saudi employees in private companies. The organization KACST issues a yearly report to every company on their performance in the nationalization issue. Companies that do not meet the percentage required by KACST are fined or closed. In this article, we will give you a step-by-step process on how to check Riyadh Nitaqat color status using the official website.
The policy was developed to allow companies to categorize themselves based on their performance in hiring Saudi national employees.
Check Kafeel’s Colour Status
Most Saudi Arabian workers are employed by their Kafeel, and here your Kafeel is considered your employer. Some levels are classified by the government according to the reputation of the companies or Kafeels. The status is also reflected in the Iqama color. The category has three colors.
Iqama Red, Green, and Yellow
Iqama Green Color
Green is the color associated with safe mode, as we all know. Having a green Nitaqat color for your Kafeel indicates that it has a good reputation in Saudi Arabia. Green is the safest option in the Iqama color check, so don’t worry; you’re now safe and secure.
Iqama Red Color
As we have mentioned, the green color represents safe mode, while the red color represents danger. Kafeels with red Nitaqats are either bankrupt or have a bad reputation in Saudi Arabia.
Hence, it is important to be alert when you are getting into trouble. You should change your Kafeel or sponsor immediately when you have a circumstance to do so.
Iqama Yellow Color
Here is another color that is not similar to the Iqama status red green and that is yellow. In Saudi Arabia, yellow indicates that your company or Kafeel has an average reputation. Hence, this will not be a problem for you as long as you keep searching until you find the Kafeel with a green status.
How to Check Iqama Red Green Status?
The Saudi government introduced new legislation known as Nitaqat Law. It is the Saudi government’s aim to provide more and more jobs for their local citizens with the help of this law.
Therefore, all private companies were required to employ a certain number of domestic and foreign workers in their company according to the government’s guidelines.
It is essential that all workers who live in Saudi Arabia have a clear understanding of their iqama status and the Iqama expiry date. This way, they can renew their iqama before it expires without much difficulty.
Check Iqama Red Green Through the Ministry of Labor
Through the Ministry of Labor’s website, you can check the red-green status of your iqama. The website belongs to the official database of the Saudi Arabian government, so it always gives accurate information about the Iqama color status.
Steps of the Iqama Expiry Check Red-Green:
In the first place, you should visit the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Labor’s official website.
Any one of these numbers, your border number, Iqama number, or passport number, you can enter
On the screen, you will see the color status of your company or your kafeel iqama.
Final Thoughts
Nowadays, Saudi Arabia is adapting to having more expats than Saudi nationals in their country. In order to keep track of everybody and give them all their rights, the government has created a new system, with colored iqama to decide who can do what and when. If you’re planning a move to Saudi Arabia or already live there, it is important to know how the iqama color status works.
Please make sure not to forget to confirm your iqama color after it has been issued, especially if you are planning to renew your visa once.