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.
- Accounts Verifier, Account auditor, and Accountant
- Administration coordinator
- Administrative researcher
- Account manager
- Administrative manager
- Agricultural specialist (General)
- Air hostess
- Air Transport Manager
- Aircraft maintenance technician
- Aquatic specialist
- Air controller
- Air navigator
- Aircraft landing controller
- Aircraft takeoff controller
- Archaeological prospector
- Architectural draftsman
- Archaeological director
- Archaeological researcher
- Army officer
- Artist ( musicians, singers, composers, painters, poets, and actors)
- General manager
- Assistant pilot
- Engineer ( all specializations)
- Assistant pharmacist
- Astronomer
- Aviation guide
- Aviation trainer
- Bank official
- Banking business manager
- Author
More professions
- Aviation technician
- Bank manager
- Banker
- Career counselor
- Businessman
- Broadcasting manager
- Ship/steamship/carrier/cruise captain
- Business lady
- Breeding specialist of bees, birds or animals
- College dean
- Cinema director
- Chief justice
- Chairman/ executive director
- Cinema/ television producer
- Cinema cameraman
- Chemist (all specialization)
- Chairman (all types)
- Company or factory manager
- Commercial broker
- Consultant (all types)
- Commercial broker
- Factory or company factory manager
- Control equipment technician
- Correspondent of TV, radio or newspaper
- Custom clearer
- Decoration designer
- Diplomat ( members of diplomatic corps)
- Cooperative society manager
- Cruise ship guide
- Customer specialist
- Dental technician ( fixing)
- Earthquakes experts
- Economic analysts
- Embassy employees in GCC countries
- Director
- ECG technician
- Electricity Manager
- Engineers (All type)
- Executive secretary
- Finance manager
- Flight technician
- Foodstuff technician
- The executive manager or director
- Farm manager
- Finance or economics experts
- Food controller
- Gardening specialist
- General supervisor
- Geology technician
- Horse breeding technician
- General specialist
- Geologist (general)
Aditional
- Head of the prosecution
- Hospital manager
- Information system experts
- Insurance manager
- investment manager
- JewelerJudge
- Lab technician
- Hotel manager
- Institute manager
- Investor
- Journalist
- Lab specialist
- Male or female nurse
- Literator
- Legal researcher
- Lecturer
- Land transport manager
- Laboratory manager
- Maintenance manager
- Library manager
- Legal expert
- Advocate/ lawyer
- Land hostess
- Media manager
- Marketing manager
- Maritime controller
- Marine traffic controller
- Marine navigator
- Manager ( all types)
- Marketing representative
- Marketing executive
- Marine transport manager
- Director or manager (private companies)
- Nutrition specialist
- Ministry undersecretary
- Microscopic technician
- Medical X-ray specialist
- Medical equipment technician
- Media specialist
- Museum manager
- Mining technician
- Media person
- Media analysis specialist
- Medical therapy specialist
- Club President or director
- Pilot
- Pharmacist
- Partner
- Operations analyst
- All sports player
- Physicist
- Physicians ( all specializations)
- Pharmaceutical technicians
- Optical technician
- Prosecutor
- Program producer
- Professor
- Production director
- Printing and publishing manager
- University president or director
- Proofreader
- Program designer
- Professional security and safety technician
- Procurement representative
- Press photographer
- Sales executive
- Research and studies director
- Regional director
- Referee (sports)
- Quantity enumerator
- Psychiatrist
- Road controller
- Religious person
- Regional director
- Radio or TV transmission technician
- Quality controller
- Speech specialist
- Sociologist
- Ship maintenance technician
- Secretary or library manager
- School manager
- Sales manager
- Special needs teacher
- Shop supervisor
- Ship captain
- Scientists
- Sales representatives
- Telecom technician
- System analysts
- Support service jobs
- Spots trainer
- Sports medicine specialists
- Teacher or instructors
- Surgeon (all specialization)
- Statistic specialists
- Sports representative
- University professor
- TV cameraman translator
- Trader
- Tourism agency manager
- Television manager
- TV or radio programs presenter
- Travel or tourism agent
- Train maintenance technician
- Tourist guides
- Theatre manager
- Zoology specialist
- X-ray specialist
- Weather expert
- University student
- X-ray technician
- Well drilling technician
- Veterinary doctor

I have worked for several years in Saudi Arabia as an expatriate. So I know how dificult it is to manage all the documents and formalities for a common worker in KSA. This is reason I started to write all these articles to help expats in KSA. I hope you enjoy my content.
I want to change my profession from accountant to Document controller, can it be possible, because earlier I was a Accountant but after I lost my job, now I found job as a Document controller.
you find the solution ?
one of my friend is working as executive secretary . but this profession is saudi only now. when we are trying to change profession it is not allowing. can u plz help .
Are certain professions banned for expats?
Can i change my iqama status because my iqama status is restaurant’s worker can i change to driver because i take my own licence then i want to apply as a driver
Can you please tech me what i need use or where i go and how much the cost to change my iqama staus to restaurants worker to driver thanks