A Saudi employer with an approved visa block is a few weeks away from workers on site — if every link in the chain is handled in the right order. This is the sequence Taha Airwaves runs for Saudi clients, with realistic durations for Indian recruitment.
Stage 1: Visa Request on Qiwa
The employer submits a visa request on Qiwa specifying the number of workers, profession codes and nationality. Approval depends on the establishment's Nitaqat band, Saudization balance and any sector-specific conditions. Skill-based classification and, for listed professions, the SVP requirement are applied at this stage. Approval typically takes days to two weeks.
Stage 2: Visa Authorisation Through MOFA
Approved visas are issued as an authorisation (block visa) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs system, addressed to the recruitment agency in India that will process them. The authorisation states the number of visas, profession codes and the agency name.
Stage 3: Documents to the Indian Agency
The employer sends to the licensed Indian agency: the visa authorisation, a demand letter, a power of attorney in the agency's favour, and a model employment contract — all attested by the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the Embassy of India in Riyadh. This attestation chain is where first-time employers lose the most time; we brief clients on it at the outset.
Stage 4: Selection and Trade Testing in India
Candidates are shortlisted, trade-tested and interviewed by video. For SVP-listed professions, certificates are secured. Duration: one to three weeks depending on trade and volume.
Stage 5: Wafid Medical
Each selected worker completes the Wafid (formerly GAMCA) medical examination at an approved centre in India. Results are valid for a limited period, so timing is coordinated with the visa stamping date. Duration: three to seven days.
Stage 6: Enjaz and Visa Stamping
The agency submits passports through Enjaz to the Saudi mission in India with the medical report, contract, photographs and the Musaned or Qiwa references as applicable. Stamping takes three to ten working days.
Stage 7: Emigration Clearance and Travel
ECR passport holders receive eMigrate clearance based on the attested demand letter and contract. Tickets are issued and workers travel in batches to the employer's arrival point.
Total Timeline
For most trades: one to twenty-five days from a complete, attested document set to arrival — the range on our fast-track deployment guide. SVP-listed professions and large volumes add one to three weeks on the Indian side.
Where It Goes Wrong
- Attestation chain incomplete or in the wrong order
- Profession code on the visa differs from the demand letter or the SVP certificate
- Medical validity expired before stamping
- Contract wages below the Embassy of India's minimum referral wage for the profession
A licensed agency's job is to remove each of these. Start on our Saudi Arabia hiring page or send your visa details for a timeline.
