Check iqama Mehna or profession status [change process and Fees]

You can check iqama Mehna or profession within few minutes with the help of this straightforward guide in KSA. We will also help to change the job.

Saudi Arabic government issues “Iqama” as per their policy to manage foreign hire’s employment in the country. Saudi government offers iqama or residence permit to the expatriates staying on an employment visa.

Today, in this blog, we will discuss the iqama profession, iqama profession check, iqama profession status change, fees, and common occupations for expatriates.

How To Check Iqama Mehna?

An expatriate can follow two methods to check the status of their iqama profession change. It is also known as Mehna in Arabic.

Moi Website Method

The first method includes checking from the official Saudi websites. As an expatriate applies to profession change, it is registered and updated on the MoL (ministry of Labor) records.

After paying the fees of profession change or Mehna, the records are further updated on the MoI (ministry of interior) website records.

Absher App Method for Mehna

The second method follows with the MoI Absher application. You have to follow the following steps to check your Iqama profession change or Mehna status:

Step#1: First, you need to begin with an activated MoI account or Absher app portal. If you still have not owned an account, you can create an account on Absher using its website.

Step#2: If you have an activated Absher account, log into the account using User ID/ / iqama number, password, and image code to verify your iqama profession status. You will receive a verification SMS on your mobile phone, which will redirect you to the Absher app.

Step#3: After successfully logging in, look on the top-right section of your Absher app, having your image and name written to check the iqama profession status. Click on your picture or name and a drop-down menu bar will appear — select “Dashboard” from the drop-down menu.

Step#4: As the dashboard appears, look on the left side of the screen right below your name, picture, and marital status. You will find your iqama profession or Mehna written at the bottom of the dashboard.

Step#5: Now that your Iqama profession is visible, you can be assured of the formalities related to iqama profession change or Mehna fulfillment.

How To Change Profession or Mehna Status ?

According to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia new rules of 2019, It is highly prohibited to show irrelevant profession compared to the current job an expatriate have in hand. If the case found, the expat would be charged hefty fine and deportation in extreme cases. Here is the simple procedure to change your iqama profession status with the following steps:

Iqama Mehna Selection

According to the latest rules of the Saudi government, you need to change or select your profession as per the expertise and current job in hand. If you have an alternative case, you may change your iqama profession status by choosing a suitable Iqama profession.

While selecting the iqama profession, an expat must be sure of the job which is available for foreign employees. They should avoid choosing the occupations which are reserved for Saudi citizens. KSA has some primary professions reserved only for Saudis.

Documents Required For Profession Change

Attested Degrees: If an expat desires to change their iqama Mehna, they must have their certified degree in the relevant field. According to KSA 2019 rules, the degree should be attested from the Saudi culture and Saudi Embassy of an expat’s native country from where the degree was issued.

Registration from Saudi legal departments: When an expat opts to change their iqama profession, they must get themselves registered from relevant Saudi official departments.

For example, if you wish to change your job to engineering, you must get logged from the Saudi Council of Engineers before applying for the Iqama profession change.

 Fees: The fees schedule to change the iqama profession as per Saudi Labour laws 2019, an expat must pay SR 1000/- through Sadad during applying to change iqama profession. It is mainly the responsibility of an employer or Kafeel to pay the amount.

Procedure

After collecting all the required legal documents, ask the government relations officer of your company to proceed with the application further. Bear in mind; an employee cannot apply on his own as only the employer reserves this right to request iqama profession change of his employee from Jawazat office.

Penalties Of Fake Profession

If an expat mentions fake or wrong iqama profession, they can be detained in the detention center or deported in the worst scenario. IF Jawazat office raids on employee’s office and find them working irrelevant to their job, an expat may face these penalties:

• Processing an expat visit visa application for other states may fail because of the low profile profession on iqama.
• An expat is not allowed to bring his family in KSA permanently. They cannot achieve family status in the country.
• An expat cannot apply for family or dependents visa, including his wife, children, or parents.

Professions For Domestic Workers

According to the new laws of KSA, if an expat is issued with a domestic visa, i.e., driver or housemaid, etc. The permit or visa is unqualified to change the iqama profession status change to business-related opportunities. Instead, it may only transfer it to other domestic professions.

Mehna Change Status

Once successfully submitting the iqama profession change application from your employer or GRO, you may check the status online on the Absher app and get your iqama card printed out.

Iqama Profession Change Fee

According to KSA laws 2019, Jawazat has predefined the fees for iqama profession change approx. 1000 Saudi Riyals.

Common Professions List For Expatriates

Here is the list of common professions reserved only for the expats living in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In case an expat has other jobs mentioned below or ones that are exclusively reserved for Saudis, hey should immediately apply for profession change status on iqama.

1. Accounts Verifier, Account auditor, and Accountant
2. Administration coordinator
3. Administrative researcher
4. Account manager
5. Administrative manager
6. Agricultural specialist (General)
7. Air hostess
8. Air Transport Manager
9. Aircraft maintenance technician
10. Aquatic specialist
11. Air controller
12. Air navigator
13. Aircraft landing controller
14. Aircraft takeoff controller
15. Archaeological prospector
16. Architectural draftsman
17. Archaeological director
18. Archaeological researcher
19. Army officer
20. Artist ( musicians, singers, composers, painters, poets, and actors)
21. General manager
22. Assistant pilot
23. Engineer ( all specializations)
24. Assistant pharmacist
25. Astronomer
26. Aviation guide
27. Aviation trainer
28. Bank official
29. Banking business manager
30. Author

More professions

1. Aviation technician
2. Bank manager
3. Banker
4. Career counselor
5. Businessman
6. Broadcasting manager
7. Ship/steamship/carrier/cruise captain
8. Business lady
9. Breeding specialist of bees, birds or animals
10. College dean
11. Cinema director
12. Chief justice
13. Chairman/ executive director
14. Cinema/ television producer
15. Cinema cameraman
16. Chemist (all specialization)
17. Chairman (all types)
18. Company or factory manager
19. Commercial broker
20. Consultant (all types)
21. Commercial broker
22. Factory or company factory manager
23. Control equipment technician
24. Correspondent of TV, radio or newspaper
25. Custom clearer
26. Decoration designer
27. Diplomat ( members of diplomatic corps)
28. Cooperative society manager
29. Cruise ship guide
30. Customer specialist
31. Dental technician ( fixing)
32. Earthquakes experts
33. Economic analysts
34. Embassy employees in GCC countries
35. Director
36. ECG technician
37. Electricity Manager
38. Engineers (All type)
39. Executive secretary
40. Finance manager
41. Flight technician
42. Foodstuff technician
43. The executive manager or director
44. Farm manager
45. Finance or economics experts
46. Food controller
47. Gardening specialist
48. General supervisor
49. Geology technician
50. Horse breeding technician
51. General specialist
52. Geologist (general)

Aditional

1. Head of the prosecution
2. Hospital manager
3. Information system experts
4. Insurance manager
5. investment manager
7. JewelerJudge
8. Lab technician
9. Hotel manager
10. Institute manager
11. Investor
12. Journalist
13. Lab specialist
14. Male or female nurse
15. Literator
16. Legal researcher
17. Lecturer
18. Land transport manager
19. Laboratory manager
20. Maintenance manager
21. Library manager
22. Legal expert
23. Advocate/ lawyer
24. Land hostess
25. Media manager
26. Marketing manager
27. Maritime controller
28. Marine traffic controller
29. Marine navigator
30. Manager ( all types)
31. Marketing representative
32. Marketing executive
33. Marine transport manager
34. Director or manager (private companies)
35. Nutrition specialist
36. Ministry undersecretary
37. Microscopic technician
38. Medical X-ray specialist
39. Medical equipment technician
40. Media specialist
41. Museum manager
42. Mining technician
43. Media person
44. Media analysis specialist
45. Medical therapy specialist
46. Club President or director
47. Pilot
48. Pharmacist
49. Partner
50. Operations analyst
51. All sports player
52. Physicist
53. Physicians ( all specializations)
54. Pharmaceutical technicians
55. Optical technician
56. Prosecutor
57. Program producer
58. Professor
59. Production director
60. Printing and publishing manager
61. University president or director
62. Proofreader
63. Program designer
64. Professional security and safety technician
65. Procurement representative
66. Press photographer
67. Sales executive
68. Research and studies director
69. Regional director
70. Referee (sports)
71. Quantity enumerator
72. Psychiatrist
73. Road controller
74. Religious person
75. Regional director
76. Radio or TV transmission technician
77. Quality controller
78. Speech specialist
79. Sociologist
80. Ship maintenance technician
81. Secretary or library manager
82. School manager
83. Sales manager
84. Special needs teacher
85. Shop supervisor
86. Ship captain
87. Scientists
88. Sales representatives
89. Telecom technician
90. System analysts
91. Support service jobs
92. Spots trainer
93. Sports medicine specialists
94. Teacher or instructors
95. Surgeon (all specialization)
96. Statistic specialists
97. Sports representative
98. University professor
99. TV cameraman translator
100. Trader
101. Tourism agency manager
102. Television manager
103. TV or radio programs presenter
104. Travel or tourism agent
105. Train maintenance technician
106. Tourist guides
107. Theatre manager
108. Zoology specialist
109. X-ray specialist
110. Weather expert
111. University student
112. X-ray technician
113. Well drilling technician
114. Veterinary doctor