Saudi dependent fee and iqama cost calculator
Choose the renewal period, the levy rate for your company and the number of dependents to see what the employer pays, what the family fee adds, and the total.
How the cost is calculated
Levy = SAR 800 or 700 × months
Work permit = SAR 100 × months ÷ 12
Iqama fee = yearly fee × months ÷ 12
Dependents fee = dependents × SAR 400 × months
Total = levy + work permit + iqama fee + dependents fee + any late fine
| Period | Levy (expats > Saudis) | Levy (expats ≤ Saudis) | Work permit fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | SAR 2,400 | SAR 2,100 | SAR 25 |
| 6 months | SAR 4,800 | SAR 4,200 | SAR 50 |
| 9 months | SAR 7,200 | SAR 6,300 | SAR 75 |
| 12 months | SAR 9,600 | SAR 8,400 | SAR 100 |
The levy and work permit figures are the table in the Ministry of Human Resources' guide to splitting the expat levy in work permits (2021), and the work permit service lists the SAR 100 fee, paid through Qiwa and SADAD. The levy rate depends on whether a company's expat workers outnumber its Saudi workers, under Council of Ministers Decision 197 of 1438 AH. HRSD's note on Article 40 of the Labor Law says the employer bears the fees for issuing and renewing the iqama and work permit and the fines for delay. The dependents fee started on 1 July 2017, collected in advance through the government payment system (Jawazat, via SPA). The SAR 650 iqama fee and SAR 400 dependents fee are the amounts in use, but we could not open an official page that states them, so both are editable.
Worked examples
Example 1: one worker, one year, no family
A company where expats outnumber Saudis renews a worker for 12 months: SAR 9,600 levy + SAR 100 permit + SAR 650 iqama = SAR 10,350, all paid by the employer.
Example 2: quarterly renewal at the lower levy
A company with as many Saudis as expats renews for 3 months: SAR 2,100 levy + SAR 25 permit + SAR 162.50 iqama (650 × 3 ÷ 12) = SAR 2,287.50. Renewing every quarter spreads the cost but adds up to the same yearly amount.
Example 3: a worker with a spouse and two children
For a year, the dependents fee is 3 × SAR 400 × 12 = SAR 14,400, paid by the worker. With the employer's SAR 10,350, the household's iqama renewal comes to SAR 24,750, or about SAR 2,062 a month.
Example 4: late renewal
The same worker's iqama expired and is renewed late for the first time. Add a SAR 500 fine, which the employer bears. A second late renewal is SAR 1,000, and a third leads to deportation.
Common mistakes
- Counting the family fee as the employer's cost. Article 40 covers the worker's iqama, permit and fines. The dependents fee falls on the worker unless the contract says otherwise.
- Using the wrong levy rate. SAR 700 applies only when the company's expats are equal to or fewer than its Saudis; most small companies with few Saudis pay SAR 800.
- Forgetting the dependents fee is paid upfront. You pay it for the whole period you renew, so a 12-month renewal for three dependents needs SAR 14,400 at once.
- Thinking quarterly renewal is cheaper. The fees are split by months, so four 3-month renewals cost the same as one 12-month renewal; they just spread the cash.
- Leaving it to the last day. Jawazat advises renewing at least three days before expiry to avoid the fine.
Where to check and pay
- Qiwa (qiwa.sa): work permit and levy for the company's workers.
- Absher Business or Muqeem: iqama renewal for employees, with the fee and any fine shown before payment.
- Absher Individuals: dependents' iqamas and the dependents fee, for the worker.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the dependent fee in Saudi Arabia?
SAR 400 a month for each dependent of an expat worker in the private sector, so SAR 4,800 a year per person. The fee started on 1 July 2017 at a lower level and rose each July under the Fiscal Balance Program until it reached SAR 400 in July 2020. It is paid in advance for the period you renew. We could not open an official page that states the SAR 400 figure, so the calculator lets you change it.
Who pays the dependent fee, the employer or the worker?
The worker, as the sponsor of the family. Labor Law Article 40 makes the employer pay the iqama fee, the work permit and the fines for late renewal, but it does not cover the worker's family. Some contracts or companies pay it as a benefit, so check yours.
How much is the expat levy?
SAR 800 a month for each expat worker when the company's expats outnumber its Saudi employees, and SAR 700 a month when they are equal to or fewer than the Saudis. That is SAR 9,600 or SAR 8,400 a year. The figures are from the HRSD guide to splitting the levy in work permits.
Can I renew an iqama for 3 or 6 months?
Yes. Since 2021 the work permit and its levy can be paid for 3, 6, 9 or 12 months, with the levy and the SAR 100 yearly permit fee split in the same proportion (for example SAR 2,400 levy and SAR 25 permit fee for 3 months when expats outnumber Saudis). Three months is the minimum.
How much is the iqama fee itself?
The usual residence fee for a private-sector worker is SAR 650 a year, split by period when you renew for less than a year. We could not confirm this figure on a readable official page, so it is an editable input. Absher and Muqeem show the exact fee before you pay.
What is the fine for renewing an iqama late?
The General Directorate of Passports said in 2020 that not renewing an iqama is fined SAR 500 the first time and SAR 1,000 the second time, and the third time the worker is deported. It advises renewing at least three days before expiry. Under Article 40 the employer pays these fines.
Are any companies exempt from the levy?
Some are. The Council of Ministers cancelled the levy for licensed industrial establishments, and small establishments have had exemptions for a limited number of expat workers when the owner works in the business full-time. Check your company's status on Qiwa; if it is exempt, choose "exempt" in the calculator.
Does this cover domestic workers or family visit visas?
No. Domestic workers (drivers, housemaids) have their own fees and levy rules, and visit visas are not iqamas. This calculator covers one private-sector expat worker and the dependents on their iqama.
Results are estimates for one private-sector expat worker. Exemptions, special categories and fee changes are set by the government, and Absher, Muqeem and Qiwa show the exact amount before you pay. This is not legal advice.
Source: HRSD guide to splitting the expat levy in work permits (2021) and the HRSD work permit issue and renewal service, Labor Law Article 40, the Jawazat statement on late iqama renewal fines (SPA, February 2020) and the start of the dependents fee (SPA, July 2017).