The Indian side of Saudi recruitment runs on three employer documents. Get them right and the process is fast; get one detail wrong and the Embassy of India returns the file, costing two to three weeks. This checklist is what we send every new Saudi client.
Document 1: Demand Letter
On company letterhead, addressed to the recruiting agency by name and licence number, stating:
- Commercial registration number and establishment name as on Qiwa
- Professions with the exact Qiwa profession codes and titles
- Number of workers per profession
- Monthly basic wage per profession (at or above the Embassy of India's minimum referral wage)
- Contract period (typically two years)
- Working hours, overtime and weekly rest per Saudi Labour Law
- Accommodation, food (or allowance), transport and medical provisions
- Air ticket at joining and at contract completion
- End-of-service benefit per Saudi Labour Law
- Signature and company stamp
Document 2: Power of Attorney
Authorising the agency to recruit, process visas and complete formalities on the employer's behalf, in English and Arabic, naming the agency and its MEA licence number, and referencing the visa authorisation numbers. Signed by the authorised signatory named on the commercial registration.
Document 3: Model Employment Contract
The bilingual contract each worker signs before departure and that is authenticated on Qiwa after arrival. It must mirror the demand letter exactly on wage, profession, period, accommodation, food, transport, medical, leave, ticket and end-of-service terms. Any variation between the demand letter and contract is a rejection.
The Attestation Sequence
- Saudi Chamber of Commerce — stamps the documents as those of a registered establishment
- Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs — legalises the Chamber attestation
- Embassy of India, Riyadh (or Consulate General, Jeddah) — attests after checking wages, terms and the agency's licence
In that order, without skipping. Allow two to three weeks for a first-time employer; repeat employers with an established file move faster.
Common Rejections
- Wage below minimum referral wage for the profession
- Profession title differs between demand letter, POA and contract
- Agency licence number missing or incorrect
- Signatory not the person authorised on the commercial registration
- Food and accommodation clauses vague ("as per company policy")
- Missing return ticket clause
Validity and Reuse
Attested demand letters are typically valid for a defined period and for the visa numbers they reference; new visa blocks need new letters, though the power of attorney can often cover multiple blocks if drafted to reference the agency generally rather than a single authorisation. Ask us to draft the POA in the broader form if you plan repeat recruitment.
Digital Attestation
Saudi Chamber and MOFA attestations are now largely digital, with QR verification, and the Embassy of India has moved to online submission for many document types. The physical courier round-trip that once added a week has shrunk, but the sequence has not changed — each attestation depends on the previous one.
For Domestic Workers
Recruitment of domestic workers — housekeepers, family drivers, caregivers in private homes — runs on Musaned rather than Qiwa, with its own contract templates and the Embassy's specific requirements. The demand-letter and POA principles are similar, but the platforms and templates differ; do not reuse a private-sector template for a household recruitment.
What Happens Next
With attested documents and the visa authorisation, Taha Airwaves registers the demand on eMigrate and begins selection the same day. From there, the 1–25 day timeline applies. For the regulatory background see eMigrate for Saudi employers, or request the document templates and we will send editable versions.
