An offer from Riyadh can be a real step up in your career and your income. Before you sign, check four things: what the package is worth once you live there, what the contract says, what the paperwork involves and how long the move will take. Saudi rules and fees change from time to time, so use this as a checklist to confirm with your employer and the official sources.

Read the package line by line

Saudi offers are usually split into a basic salary plus allowances, most often housing and transport, and sometimes schooling, flights or a relocation payment. Look at each line, not only the total.

The split matters. Social insurance contributions (GOSI) are calculated on the basic salary plus housing, and your end-of-service award is calculated on your last wage, so ask which parts of the package count towards it and make sure that is written into the contract.

Two points work in your favour. Saudi Arabia does not tax income from employment, so the salary you agree is broadly what you receive. And for non-Saudi employees, the employer pays the GOSI contribution in full (it covers occupational hazards), so nothing is deducted from your pay for it.

Housing, schooling and the real cost of living

Housing is usually the largest cost. Some employers pay a housing allowance in cash, others provide accommodation. Rents in Riyadh vary widely by district, and some landlords ask for several months' rent in advance, so ask whether the employer can pay the housing allowance in advance for your first lease.

If you are bringing children, school fees can outweigh every other difference between two offers. Find out whether schooling is covered, for how many children and up to what amount. Riyadh is also a city built around the car, so add the cost of a car or regular transport.

Expatriates pay a monthly fee for each dependant on their residency, currently SAR 400 per dependant per month. Ask whether your employer covers it. Employers must provide health insurance for expatriate employees and their dependants, so check that your spouse and children are named on the policy.

Compare offers on what you keep after housing, schooling and family costs, not on the headline number.

What to check in the contract

Employment contracts for Saudis and non-Saudis are documented on Qiwa, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's platform, and the data is shared with GOSI. Check that the contract on Qiwa matches your offer letter, including the job title, salary and allowances. Your registered profession should match the job you will actually do.

Under the Saudi Labour Law, as amended in February 2025:

• Probation: can be up to 180 days, and must be stated in the contract.
• Notice: for a contract with no fixed end date, 30 days if you resign and 60 days if the employer ends it, unless the contract sets more.
• End-of-service award: half a month's wage for each of the first five years and a full month's wage for each year after that. If you resign, you receive nothing before two years, a third between two and five years, two thirds between five and ten years, and the full award after ten.
• Annual leave: at least 21 days a year, rising to 30 days after five years with the same employer.

Check with your employer or the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for the current rules before you sign, as they change.

Visa, residency and the first weeks

Your employer sponsors your work visa. After you arrive, your residency permit (Iqama) is issued, and until it is, everyday tasks such as opening a bank account or signing a lease can be slower. The Iqama card is delivered to your registered national address, so set that up early.

Prepare your documents well before your start date. Degree certificates usually need to be attested, and some professions, such as engineering and healthcare, need registration with a Saudi professional body before you can practise. Ask the employer which steps apply to your role, who pays for them and how long they usually take.

Timing your move

Work back from your start date: your current notice period, the time for attestation and the work visa, then travel and temporary accommodation. Many people move first and bring their family once the residency, housing and schools are settled. Agree a realistic start date in writing rather than one you will struggle to meet.

Ask how the role is classified

Saudi Arabia's Saudisation programme (Nitaqat) sets quotas for Saudi nationals by sector and company size, and some job titles are reserved for Saudi nationals. A serious employer will have checked this before making an offer, but it is fair to ask how the role is registered and whether it is open to non-Saudis.