Member News

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

13 March 2026 – Residents with Expired Residence Permits Allowed to Re-enter Without Obtaining a New Entry Permit

As a temporary measure effective from February 28, 2026 to March 31, 2026, UAE  residence permit holders whose permit has expired while they are outside the country may return to the United Arab Emirates without obtaining a new entry permit. 

The concession applies to UAE residents who were outside the United Arab Emirates and whose residence permits expired on or after February 28, 2026. 

Under normal circumstances, residents must present a valid UAE Emirates ID card  (which has the same validity as the residence permit) as proof of residency. It remains unclear whether affected travellers will be required to provide any additional documentation when travelling with an expired Emirates ID. They are therefore advised to contact their airline directly for guidance prior to departure.

Once in the United Arab Emirates, affected residents will be permitted to regularize their  immigration status without incurring any related penalties. 

SAUDI ARABIA

23 February 2026 - Visa-Free Entry between Russia and Saudi Arabia Forthcoming

Nationals of Russia and Saudi Arabia will soon be able to travel to each other’s country without a visa for tourism purposes. Eligible individuals may stay for up to 90 days within a calendar year. This visa exemption does not apply to Russian nationals going to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage purposes, including Hajj. 

To be able to enter visa free, individuals must have a passport with a minimum of six months validity from the intended date of entry, valid health insurance, and a return or onward ticket. Individuals travelling for other purposes (including study, or work) must continue to obtain a relevant visa in advance. 

It remains unclear whether business travel will be permitted under the agreement. While some reports suggest this may be allowed, it is expected that Russian nationals will still require prior authorization to undertake business activities in practice.

The effective date has not yet been confirmed, but implementation is anticipated in the coming months.

18 February 2026 - Work Permit Financial Levy Lifted for Certain Employers

Effective immediately, Saudi Arabia will no longer apply the financial levy imposed on foreign national workers’ work permits for employees working in industrial establishments that hold a valid industrial license in the construction or production sector, provided the establishment has submitted the Industrial Survey data for 2023 and 2024.  

Previously, these foreign nationals were subject to a financial levy, with exemptions available on a temporary basis

17 February 2026 - Updates to the Nitaqat Program 

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced the launch of a new phase of the Nitaqat Program for 2026- 2028, as part of the country’s labor nationalization program – which seeks to increase the number of Saudi nationals in the 

workforce.

The new phase is effective from April 26, 2026, and details of the changes are as follows: 

• Saudization calculation. The existing formula will remain unchanged; however, higher “c” values will be applied across most sectors over the next three years (compared to the current lower “c” values).
• Band thresholds (Red / Low / Medium / High / Platinum). Saudization requirements within the band thresholds will be revised. Headcount growth may require adjustments to the composition of the local workforce to maintain the current band classification.

KUWAIT

25 February 2026 - Mandatory Update of Academic Qualifications Required

As a reminder, all employees in Kuwait are required to update their academic qualification information via the Sahel application. Individuals must submit degree documents that have been verified (confirming the authenticity of the individual’s academic records and study history) and legally attested. Additionally, if the degree was obtained outside Kuwait, individuals must also ensure the degree has been equivalency-approved. This measure forms part of the authorities’ efforts to ensure the accuracy of employee records and to verify academic credentials. 

The update must be made within a deadline that will be specified in notifications sent to  each employee through the Sahel application.

OMAN

16 February 2026 - Reminder: Grace Period for Obtaining Mandatory Professional Practice Licenses Announced

As a reminder, all employees working in the energy and minerals sectors in Oman are required to obtain the relevant professional practice licenses (or classification certificates, where applicable). This requirement was introduced in September 2025, and a grace period has been provided until 1 June 2026 to allow employees additional time to comply. 

While the licensing obligation applies to a wide range of roles, only positions within the energy and minerals sectors, including crane operators, welders and technicians, benefit from this grace period. The Sector Skills Unit for the Energy and Minerals Sector is responsible for issuing the licenses for all designated professions within the sector. 

Until June 1, 2026, unlicensed work permit applicants in the energy and minerals sectors will remain eligible for work permits. In addition, existing unlicensed employees may continue working without a license during the grace period but must obtain the required license by June 1, 2026. 

MIDDLE EAST

6 March 2026 - Government Closures During Eid-al-Fitr Holiday

Government offices across the Middle East, North Africa and parts of Asia will remain closed due to the upcoming Eid-al-Fitr holiday, which may affect processing times for all immigration applications. Foreign nationals and employers can expect immigrationprocessing delays over the coming weeks. This year, Eid al-Fitr is expected to start on March 20 or March 21, 2026; however, the exact dates depend on a lunar sighting and will be announced for each country separately. Government closures during the Eid-al-Fitr holiday are expected to be as follows:

28 February 2026 - Travel and Mobility Considerations: Situation in the Middle East

Following the United States and Israel launching an airstrike campaign targeting Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes, there are closed airspaces, airports and flight suspensions in the entire region. The situation is fluid and individuals should monitor official communications from their respective governments closely.

Airspace closures and flight operations. Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and Qatar have all closed their airspaces. More countries in the region are expected to also close their airspaces. Most airlines have announced the suspension of flights to and from the Middle East. 

Visa processing. Given that it is currently the weekend in the region, the full impact on visa processing is not yet clear. However, several consular posts have already announced closures, indicating that immigration processes may be affected. We are actively monitoring the situation.

Warnings. There are ‘shelter in place’ notifications for foreign nationals across the region. 

Emergency travel documents. Those who need travel documents or emergency passports should contact their local consular post. Those who have a second citizenship should contact both consular posts. 

Other considerations. Individuals are advised to exercise caution when recording incidents on mobile phones and sharing such content on social media platforms, as this may constitute a violation of local laws.

Foreign nationals should: 

• Register their presence with their respective embassies.
• Monitor official communications from their respective governments closely. 

Organizations should:  

• Connect your mobility, immigration, travel desk and security teams (identify senior point of contact).
• Confirm the location, safety, and wellbeing of employees and dependents across the Middle East. 
• Communicate to your foreign national population in the region to register their presence with their respective embassy for the latest advice from their respective governments. 
• Ensure you have up-to-date nationality, visa, dependent, and contact information for impacted populations. 
• Review upcoming business travel and assignments into and within the region, including contingency options.
• Communicate clearly and regularly with affected employees, including escalation and emergency contacts. 
• Review policies on non-essential travel and align them with current government advisories. 
• Revisit relocation, evacuation, shelter-in-place, and remote work plans to ensure they remain operational. 

ABOUT FRAGOMEN

Fragomen is a leading firm dedicated to immigration services worldwide. The firm has nearly 5,500 professionals and staff in 62 offices located in the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA. Overall, Fragomen offers support in more than 170 countries. 

We are structured to support all aspects of global immigration, including strategic planning, efficiency, quality management, compliance, government relations, reporting, and case management and processing. These capabilities allow us to represent a broad range of companies, organizations and individuals, working in partnership with clients to facilitate the transfer of employees worldwide. 

Our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) practice also provides corporate services, including social security assistance, end-to-end corporate setup, corporate secretarial services, corporate amendments, restructuring activities and more. Our corporate services and immigration professionals have extensive experience working with multinational businesses, conglomerates, local employers, start-ups and individual investors. We have a deep understanding of the MENA region and maintain strong professional relationships with relevant authorities. 

To learn more about how we can assist you, please visit our website at www.fragomen.com or contact us at [email protected]