Olaya Tas-heel Centre (Maktab al-Amal Riyadh)

Mudad WPS is mandatory for all private-sector establishments regardless of headcount since 2024, with salaries paid through a registered bank file within three days of the contractual cycle. Late or partial payments propagate to the Nitaqat score within ninety days. Olaya resolves Mudad mismatches in person: the most common are allowances paid in cash that differ from the Qiwa contract figure, in-kind accommodation values not declared separately, and bonuses that the system reads as salary base. Bring the latest three-month Mudad statement, the Qiwa contract, and the bank file extract. The reviewer flags the mismatch type and either issues a corrective reconciliation order or refers the case to the Settlement Committee if the worker contests the figures.

Red Nitaqat blocks new work-permit issuance, work-permit renewal for existing expatriates, sponsorship transfers into the establishment, and access to Etimad government tenders. Workers employed by a Red establishment have the right to transfer their sponsorship to another employer without consent, and Olaya processes these no-consent transfers as priority cases at SAR 2,000 each. The Red employer must climb back to Green by hiring Saudis or replacing departures with nationals before the next quarterly refresh. Establishments under enterprise-tier audit attend Olaya for a defence hearing; bring authenticated Qiwa contracts for every counted Saudi, the latest GOSI extract dated within 90 days, and the Mudad statement showing wage payment. The reviewer cross-checks classification of part-time and remote Saudi staff.

Saudisation credit appeals run through Qiwa with an in-person defence at Olaya. The HR team submits the correction request, attaches authenticated Qiwa contracts for every counted Saudi, the latest GOSI subscription extract, and any Mohimat-verified credentials, then books an Olaya slot to defend the figures. The reviewing officer cross-checks the Saudi headcount against active GOSI subscriptions and the authenticated Qiwa contract base. Common appeal grounds include misclassification of part-time or remote Saudis, errors in sector classification, and recently authenticated Saudi contracts not yet reflected in the current cycle. From 15 April 2026 Saudis on unauthenticated contracts no longer count, so the appeal first verifies authentication date. Approved corrections become live from the next monthly Nitaqat refresh, typically within 30 days.

The first-year transfer restriction prohibits sponsorship transfer in the worker's first year of employment unless a documented breach is proven: three consecutive months of unpaid wages recorded in Mudad, an unauthenticated Qiwa contract, expired commercial registration, expired Iqama caused by the sponsor, or referral to the Labour Court for trafficking concerns. Olaya hears these breach claims at a transfer hearing scheduled within seven working days. Bring the Qiwa contract or proof of its absence, Mudad payroll records showing the wage gap, written notices to the employer, bank statements showing missing transfers, and any termination evidence. If the breach is proven the transfer proceeds without the original sponsor's consent at SAR 2,000; otherwise the worker must obtain consent or wait out the contractual cycle. No-consent transfers from Red Nitaqat establishments are exempt from the first-year wait entirely.

Most Qiwa transactions, including work-permit issuance, renewal, and contract authentication, can be completed online without visiting the branch. Tas-heel Olaya handles only the residual cases that the Qiwa portal cannot close: sponsorship transfers contested by the employer, end-of-service disputes referred for amicable settlement, Nitaqat tier corrections, and large-scale establishment audits. If your transaction shows as pending Tas-heel review in Qiwa, you will receive an appointment link prompting you to attend in person.

Yes. Since the 2024 reform and following the April 2026 update, every private-sector employment contract must be electronically documented and authenticated on Qiwa. From 15 April 2026, Saudi nationals on unauthenticated contracts no longer count towards their employer's Saudisation percentage, which collapses Nitaqat tiers within a single review cycle. Expatriate work permits cannot be issued or renewed without an authenticated contract, and the Olaya branch confirms it as a precondition for every transaction.

The levy is a workforce-equilibrium fee paid by the employer for each non-Saudi worker exceeding the Saudi headcount, calculated at SAR 800 per month. It is separate from the SAR 650 work-permit fee, the SAR 650 Jawazat Iqama fee, and from GOSI contributions. Dependants are charged separately at SAR 400 per month per family member through Muqeem. Establishments classified as small with fewer than nine workers and a Saudi majority enjoy partial exemptions. The levy is settled through SADAD before the work-permit renewal window opens; arrears block the entire establishment, not the individual permit.

Nitaqat measures Saudisation against sector-specific quotas. Establishments fall into Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green, or Red. The November 2025 to April 2026 cycle eliminated the Yellow band, raised quotas in healthcare, engineering, accounting, procurement, marketing, and sales, and tied Saudisation credit to authenticated Qiwa contracts. Red establishments cannot renew work permits or transfer sponsorships in and lose access to Etimad government tenders. Platinum employers enjoy expedited work-permit issuance and unrestricted profession changes.

Mudad is the wage-protection platform that connects payroll, GOSI, and Qiwa. Since 2024, registration is mandatory for all private establishments regardless of headcount, replacing the earlier WPS thresholds. Salaries must be paid through a registered bank file within three days of the contractual cycle; late payments propagate to the Nitaqat score within ninety days. The Olaya branch resolves Mudad mismatches, particularly when allowances paid in cash differ from the Qiwa contract figure.

Under articles 84 and 87, gratuity equals half a month's wage for each of the first five years and a full month's wage for each subsequent year, based on the last drawn basic wage plus housing and fixed allowances. A worker who resigns receives one-third for two to five years, two-thirds for five to ten years, and the full entitlement after ten years; termination by the employer pays the full entitlement. Disputes over the calculation base or service length are filed at Olaya, which issues a written calculation before the case escalates to Najiz.

Yes. Nafath is the national identity authenticator that replaces username-password sign-in across Qiwa, Absher, Muqeem, and Mudad. The branch entrance scans the Qiwa appointment QR and revalidates the visitor via Nafath push notification. PROs acting for the establishment must hold a Nafath-verified authorisation logged in Qiwa; paper powers of attorney are no longer accepted on their own. A locked Nafath account from failed face-scans blocks branch entry until reset at a Nafath kiosk.

If the parties cannot agree within the 21-day amicable settlement window, the file is transferred to the Labour Disputes Settlement Committee hosted at the Najiz judicial centre on Olaya. The committee issues a binding ruling within sixty days, enforceable through the execution court. Workers and employers can be represented by a licensed lawyer; legal aid is available for low-income claimants. Awards include unpaid wages, gratuity, notice pay, and compensation for arbitrary dismissal.

Payment runs exclusively through SADAD, the national billing system. The employer generates a SADAD invoice from the Qiwa portal, then settles it through online banking, the bank app, or an ATM using the invoice number. The cashier at Olaya can issue a SADAD reference for visitors who arrive without one, but cash payment at the counter is no longer offered for levy or permit fees; only Mada card and Apple Pay are accepted for ancillary services such as profession changes.