Employment
Saudi work visa from Canada
Accepted a job in Saudi Arabia? The work visa starts with your Saudi employer, who obtains the visa and the authorization in your name. In Canada, Voyages Classy Travel, an authorized agent of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Canada, helps you gather the required documents and submits your application, wherever you live in the country.
Last verified: October 7, 2026
Who needs a Saudi work visa?
This visa is for people living in Canada who have a confirmed job with an employer in Saudi Arabia: a company, a health-care facility, a school or another organization.
The employer starts the file. In Saudi Arabia, it first obtains the work visa from the Ministry of Human Resources, for example through the Qiwa platform, then asks the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the visa authorization to bring the worker in. That authorization is what allows your application to be submitted in Canada.
For a short professional trip (meetings, conferences, client visits), see the business visa instead.
Documents to prepare
For a work visa, documents come from two sides. Your employer in Saudi Arabia provides the visa authorization, the Tafweed delegation, the signed employment contract and its commercial registration. In Canada, you prepare your personal documents: the application forms, your photos, your passport and a police clearance certificate, plus, when your profession or the current rules require it, the qualification verification and the medical examination. Items that apply only in certain cases are marked as such in the list below.
Documents usually requested
- Employment contract or visa authorization
- Attested qualifications where required
- Medical report
- Police clearance if applicable
Requirements vary by position and can change: we confirm the exact list and the format of each document for your file.
The steps, from the Saudi employer to your visa
- 1
Your employer obtains the visa and authorization
In Saudi Arabia, your employer obtains the work visa, for example through Qiwa, then the visa authorization from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They then send you these documents. This step is the employer’s, not ours.
- 2
You contact us
Send us the authorization and your contract. We check that they match your situation and give you the full list of documents to prepare in Canada.
- 3
You prepare your Canadian documents
Medical exam, background check, diplomas: we tell you the order to follow and the format of each document.
- 4
We check and complete the file
Bring your documents to the office or mail them. We check them one by one and fill in the application with you, so a missing document doesn’t delay your departure.
- 5
Submission and follow-up
As an authorized agent of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Canada, we submit your file through the proper channel and follow up on it. The decision belongs to the Saudi authorities.
- 6
You receive your visa
We let you know as soon as the decision is made and send you your visa. We also return your documents in the way agreed with you. Once you are in Saudi Arabia, your employer will guide you through the residence permit (iqama).
Who decides, and when
The visa is issued at the discretion of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia. No agency can promise a date or a decision, and we do not publish timelines: each file is examined on its own by the Saudi authorities.
What we control is the quality of the file: complete, consistent and submitted the way it is expected. Set your start date with your employer once the visa is issued, not before.
Anywhere in Canada, by mail
Our clients come from Montréal, Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke, Ottawa, Toronto, the rest of Ontario and anywhere else in Canada: you can send us your documents by mail. We first tell you what to send and how your documents will come back to you.
Saudi work visa: frequently asked questions
Does my name have to be spelled the same everywhere?
Yes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires the names of people of non-Arab nationality to match their passport. Check the spelling of your name on the contract and the authorization before you send them to us.
Can I work on a tourist visa?
No. A tourist visa is not a work visa. The Government of Canada notes that a work visa is required to work in Saudi Arabia.
Which medical and background checks do I need in Canada?
The Government of Canada mentions an HIV test certificate and proof of a criminal background check. We give you the full list for your file.
Do my diplomas need to be authenticated?
It depends on your file. Diplomas and letters of employment may need to be authenticated in Canada before they are submitted. We explain the steps and the order to follow.
Will my family be able to visit me?
Once you are settled with a work-based residence permit, you can apply for a family visit visa for your parents, spouse or children, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ conditions.
Can you guarantee that the visa will be granted?
No. Nobody can: the decision belongs to the Saudi authorities. Our role is to submit a complete, compliant file so that a missing document doesn’t hold you up.
Other Saudi visa services
Personal guidance
Let’s prepare your work visa
Call us at 514-448-0788 or send an inquiry online with the authorization from your employer. We tell you which documents to prepare in Canada and in what order.