Your guide to issuing a freelance work permit in Saudi Arabia

The phenomenon of freelance work has significantly spread in recent years in Saudi Arabia across various fields, especially e-commerce, as many individuals rely on this aspect either as a primary source of income or to increase their current income.

With the increasing value of freelance work, many challenges have emerged for individuals, the most important of which is working under a formal legal umbrella, which requires issuing a freelance work permit in the Kingdom. Its role is to guarantee the rights of freelance business owners, protect them, and give them the necessary reliability to deal with all relevant authorities to complete the work without obstacles, and thus achieve their goals.

Let's learn about the freelance work permit in Saudi Arabia, its advantages, and the steps to issue it.

What is the Freelance Work Permit?

It is an official document accredited by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, granted to individuals who practice specific freelance professions. The document aims to regulate the freelance sector and support talented and skilled individuals who seek to build a successful career and achieve more profits.

The Most Prominent Features of the Freelance Work Permit

Issuing a freelance work permit in the Kingdom has many advantages for owners of various freelance professions, especially e-commerce businesses, including:

• Benefit from the Funding Program:

The freelance work permit plays a pivotal role in obtaining funding programs provided by the Development Bank in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which aim to support and empower individuals or families who wish to increase their monthly income by possessing a specialized craft or skill.

The document serves as formal proof of the holder's ability to practice freelance work efficiently and professionally, which enhances their chances of obtaining the necessary funding to start or develop their project.

The conditions for obtaining Development Bank funding through the freelance work permit include the following:

• The applicant must be a Saudi national.

• Their age must not be less than 18 years old.

• They must have a freelance work permit.

• They must submit an economic feasibility study for the project.

• They must have an active bank account.

• Opening a Commercial Bank Account:

One of the most prominent obstacles facing freelance workers is the difficulty of obtaining reliable bank accounts to manage their financial transactions. Most of them are ultimately forced to open a personal bank account, which deprives them of many advantages of a commercial account, especially for those working in the field of e-commerce.

But with the freelance work permit, opening a commercial bank account linked to the permit becomes possible for the freelance category, which allows freelancers to enjoy many advantages, such as:

• Managing financial transactions easily and efficiently.

• Separating personal funds from work-related funds.

• Obtaining credit cards dedicated to work.

• Benefiting from financial offers and services suitable for freelance work needs.

• Providing various digital payment solutions:

The document allows its holder to benefit from the various digital payment solutions available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This feature is particularly important for those working in the field of e-commerce without owning a commercial register. By extracting a freelance work permit, commercial transactions become easier and more effective.

• Enhancing the Transparency of the Commercial Relationship:

The freelance work permit provides a clear legal framework that defines the rights and duties of both the freelancer and the contracting party. It is an officially recognized document that can be used in all government agencies and for concluding contracts with any employer in the Kingdom, which contributes to enhancing transparency in the commercial relationship and facilitates understanding between the two sides regarding tasks and expectations.

In order to obtain a freelance work permit, the required conditions must be met, and several steps must be followed to obtain this document.

Conditions for Issuing a Freelance Work Permit

The freelance work permit requires several conditions to be met by the person who wants to obtain it. These conditions are:

• The applicant must be a Saudi national.

• The applicant's age must not be less than 18 years old and not exceed 60 years old.

• They must have an account on the Absher electronic platform.

How to Extract a Freelance Work Permit in Steps

• Log in to the Freelance Platform in Saudi Arabia.

• Create an account on the portal by entering the mobile number, national ID number, and other required data.

• Verify your account through the Absher platform to meet the required condition for issuing a freelance work permit without a problem.

• Click on the "Issue Document" icon.

• Enter the data of the profession for which you wish to issue the freelance work permit, as well as the required documents, and make sure that the selected profession is available on the platform.

Duration of the Freelance Work Permit and Issuance Fees:

The validity of the freelance work permit lasts for one full year from the date of its issuance, and after the expiry of this period, the document holder cannot use it or benefit from the services provided through it unless it is renewed by logging into the Freelance Platform without any fees.

To cover this important topic from different angles, we have compiled some frequently asked questions for you.

Most Frequent Questions About the Freelance Work Permit:

How long does it take to issue a freelance work permit?

This document is not issued over a long period, but is issued within a period ranging from 24 to 48 hours.

Is the freelance work permit only for Saudis?

No, residents of the Kingdom can also obtain this document if the above-mentioned conditions are met, such as age, having an account on the Absher platform, and the desired profession for which the document is to be issued being among the available professions on the business platform.

How much does a freelance work permit cost?

Issuing a freelance work permit does not require any fees; it is completely free.

Does the freelance work permit renew automatically?

The freelance work permit does not renew automatically upon expiry. Instead, the person must follow several steps to renew the document, which are:

• Log in to the Freelance Platform.

• Then click on the "Renew Document" option from the list of services on the site's main page.

• After that, you must fill in the required data and attach the documents such as a copy of the national identity card, experience certificates, and so on.

• After completing the data entry and attaching the required documents, and clicking on the "Next" button, a message will appear stating approval, and you can obtain your document within a period not exceeding 48 hours, as a text message will be sent to the registered mobile number, confirming the successful issuance of your document.

Can the freelance work permit be printed?

Yes, by following these steps:

• Log in to the Freelance Platform and register your account.

• Click on the "Current Documents" option to access your freelance work permit.

• Click on the "Download" button to download and print the document.

Is it possible to issue more than one freelance work permit in the Kingdom?

Yes, up to five freelance work permits can be issued for five different skills to achieve full benefit for individuals who possess more than one skill enabling them to freelance.

Can an online store be opened with a freelance work permit?

Yes, if there is no dedicated location for the commercial activity, but if the project has a specific entity, whether a store or a center, a commercial register must be issued in addition to the permit.

In Conclusion,

The freelance work permit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an important and positive step towards empowering freelance work and supporting entrepreneurs in the country. This document reflects the Saudi government's commitment to promoting the freelance work environment and encouraging innovation and leadership in various economic sectors.

If you want to practice freelance work and achieve success, you must issue a freelance work permit to work professionally under a legal umbrella, benefit from the various available services, and achieve more profits.