HR Ministry: 135,600 absconding workers transferred to new establishments
RIYADH — The total number of beneficiaries of the “Integration into the Labor Market” initiative, launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, reached 135,596 by the end of the second quarter of 2026. The initiative aims to enable workers registered as “absent from work” to rectify their status, transfer to other establishments, and establish new legal contractual…
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Riyadh has reported that 135,596 workers have been transferred to new establishments under the "Integration into the Labor Market" initiative. This program, launched in September 2025, aims to assist workers registered as absent from work by enabling them to legally transfer to a new employer and establish new contractual relationships.
By re-integrating these workers into the labor force, the initiative seeks to reduce the number of undocumented workers in the Kingdom, improve employers' ability to hire local talent, protect workers' rights, and streamline administrative processes. The target group includes both employers and employees in the private sector. To qualify, workers must have resided in the Kingdom for at least 12 consecutive months before their absence was reported or before their employment contract's expiration.
Employers of the new establishments are responsible for paying any outstanding fees for the workers' work permits.
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