India Steps In With Egypt, Morocco, Indonesia, And Others As Saudi Arabia Restarts Temporary Work And Travel Visa Processing: What You Need To Know

Friday, August 1, 2025

India steps successful pinch Egypt, Morocco, Indonesia, and others arsenic Saudi Arabia restarts impermanent activity and recreation visa processing pursuing a months-long suspension tied to nan Hajj 2025 season. Following nan heavily-restricted issuance of Temporary Work Visas (TWVs) astatine a clip when, during highest visit play successful peculiar – Saudi Arabia has started to rumor visas for respective countries; allowing businesses and those doing business pinch them immoderate much-needed breathing space. But while astir countries, including India, were capable to summation introduction backmost into nan programme, Ethiopian citizens are still not portion of this inaugural and location is nary clear connection connected erstwhile they could beryllium included. This is everything you request to cognize astir nan restart of visa processing and what it intends for travelers visiting aliases moving successful Saudi Arabia.

After months of suspension, Saudi Arabia has reopened its Temporary Work Visa (TWV) programme for overseas nationals, pursuing a important frost linked to nan country’s busiest belief season, Hajj 2025. However, Ethiopian nationals are still excluded from this reopening, pinch nary clear timeline for erstwhile aliases if their eligibility will beryllium restored.

The Return of Temporary Work Visas

Saudi Arabia has officially lifted nan region connected issuing Temporary Work Visas (TWVs) for astir nationalities, ending a months-long regularisation that had severely impacted industries reliant connected overseas workers. This change, which began successful mid-July 2025, followed a awesome hiatus triggered by nan Hajj season, erstwhile nan Kingdom typically restricts definite visa categories owed to nan ample influx of pilgrims.

The reopening has travel arsenic a alleviation to employers, galore of whom were near scrambling to find workarounds owed to nan suspension of nan TWV program. These visas, utilized for temporary, short-term employment, are important successful sectors for illustration construction, lipid and gas, IT, and arena management.

Who’s Eligible for nan Reopened Temporary Work Visas?

As of precocious July 2025, Saudi Arabia has resumed processing TWVs for citizens of respective countries. These include:

• Algeria
• Bangladesh
• Egypt
• India
• Indonesia
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Morocco
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Sudan
• Tunisia
• Yemen

Despite this, Ethiopian nationals are still not eligible for nan program. There has been nary charismatic connection clarifying why this group is excluded aliases erstwhile their eligibility mightiness resume. This extended region connected Ethiopian nationals has raised questions and concerns among some workers and employers successful nan region.

The Suspended TWV Processing

The suspension of TWV processing first came into effect successful April 2025 erstwhile Saudi Arabia removed nan action to use from nan Qiwa platform, nan cardinal portal for managing activity permits. The authorities did not denote nan frost astatine nan time, which near businesses and applicants uncertain astir nan reasons down it. This move created important disruption, arsenic applications that were already successful advancement were halted, leaving companies incapable to proceed pinch their hiring plans.

Understanding Temporary Work Visas

Temporary Work Visas (TWVs) service arsenic a fast-track action for overseas workers who are needed successful Saudi Arabia for short-term projects. Typically valid for up to 90 days, pinch nan anticipation of extension, these visas are designed for speedy deployment successful sectors that require impermanent labor. Some of nan astir communal industries utilizing TWVs include:

• Construction and Engineering: Temporary workers are often needed for large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Oil and Gas: Skilled professionals are required for short-term projects and specialized tasks.
• IT and Technology: Workers successful technology-related fields are brought successful for circumstantial projects, strategy installations, aliases upgrades.
• Conferences and Major Events: International events, specified arsenic business conferences, require impermanent workers to negociate operations, hospitality, and logistics.

For employers, TWVs are an charismatic action arsenic they are simpler and quicker than semipermanent activity permits. This allows businesses to capable contiguous labour shortages aliases meet circumstantial task deadlines without nan bureaucracy of imperishable visa applications.

Why Was nan Visa Program Frozen?

The frost connected Temporary Work Visas was apt portion of Saudi Arabia’s strategy to negociate nan ample influx of pilgrims during Hajj 2025. Every year, nan Kingdom imposes impermanent visa restrictions to guarantee crowd power and nan effective allocation of nationalist resources during this highest belief period. However, nan scope of this year’s restrictions was broader and much opaque than successful erstwhile years.

In summation to halting TWVs, nan authorities besides suspended respective different visa categories, including:

• Tourist e-Visas: These visas, which let travelers to sojourn for leisure, were temporarily unavailable.
• Visa-on-Arrival: This program, which allows citizens of definite countries to get a visa upon arrival, was put connected hold.
• Umrah Permits: Visas for pilgrims wishing to execute Umrah, a lesser pilgrimage, were suspended.
• Family and Business Visit Visas: The authorities besides paused nan processing of visas for family members and business visitors, further complicating recreation plans.

What’s Open Again Post-Hajj?

Now that Hajj 2025 has concluded, Saudi Arabia has begun reopening its visa categories. Here’s a summary of nan existent status:

While nan mostly of visa categories are now accessible, nan removal of Ethiopian nationals from nan TWV programme remains a cardinal rumor for some workers and employers. It is unclear why this suspension is still successful place, and galore are hoping for explanation successful nan coming weeks.

What Does This Mean for Employers?

For employers looking to prosecute impermanent overseas workers, nan resumption of nan TWV programme provides an opportunity to capable project-based roles successful cardinal industries for illustration construction, lipid and gas, and technology. However, nan removal of Ethiopia from this reopening could effect businesses relying connected Ethiopian workers, and they whitethorn request to research different nationalities aliases set their hiring strategies accordingly.

Despite nan challenges faced by definite countries, specified arsenic Ethiopia, nan wide resumption of nan TWV programme signals a return to normalcy for galore businesses that dangle connected overseas labor. For those affected by nan freeze, it remains to beryllium seen erstwhile Ethiopia will beryllium re-included, but for now, astir workers from different nations tin proceed pinch their plans to activity successful Saudi Arabia.

India steps successful pinch Egypt, Morocco, Indonesia, and others arsenic Saudi Arabia restarts impermanent activity and recreation visa processing aft a months-long suspension tied to Hajj 2025. The resumption provides alleviation to businesses and workers, though Ethiopian nationals stay excluded without a clear timeline for reinstatement.

Saudi Arabia’s determination to restart issuing Temporary Work Visas aft nan Hajj play brings much-needed alleviation to employers and overseas workers alike. Although astir countries person been readmitted to nan TWV program, Ethiopian nationals stay disconnected successful a awesome origin for concern. In nan future, Saudi Arabia is apt to proceed adjusting its visa policies successful accordance pinch balancing demands connected belief recreation and a request for overseas labor. For now, nan way to business arsenic accustomed appears clear, but pinch a lingering mobility people complete what lies up for Ethiopia.