Saudi Arabia suspends block work visas to Indians, other foreign workers

MEA denies Saudi Arabia's block work visa suspension for Indians

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday termed media reports of Saudi Arabia suspending issuance of block work visas for citizens from 14 countries, including India, as “fake”, asserting that the Saudi government has not issued any notification on the matter. “This CLAIM is FALSE. FACT: The Saudi Government has not issued any notification on this matter. As a matter of practice, during the Haj season, there are temporary rest…

Saudi Arabia suspends block work visas to Indians, other foreign workers

Applications for pending work entry visas may be postponed or rejected, and those with valid work visas who have not yet reached Saudi Arabia may face entry limitations.

Saudi Arabia suspends block work visas for 14 countries, including India

Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended block work visas for nationals of 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria. The suspension, effective until the end of June 2025, comes ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and is expected to impact sectors that depend heavily on foreign labour. Block work visas are pre-approved quotas that allow Saudi firms to hire large numbers of foreign workers. The suspension has now closed this r…