COVID 19 Business Environment FAQs

Q. What are the current methods of communication with Ministry of Investment remotely?

Q. How to get services that require the presence of the company representative?

A. You can provide us with the General Manager’s information via email and we will contact the relevant authorities to help facilitate the procedure

Q. What is the Ministry of Investment’s role in obtaining services for other government agencies?

Q. Should we continue applying for government services or stop until employees return to their offices?

Q. Are there restrictions or additional requirements for imports from some countries?

Q. Are imported shipments delayed due to additional examination?

Q. We have foreign employees with valid exit and re-entry visas who are not able to return because of flights suspension. Is there a procedure to extend their visas before its expiry?

Q. Are Saudi consulates abroad receiving visa applications?

Q. We have visitors with business visas, which expire soon. How can they extend their visas before/until airports are open and travel is allowed?

Q. We have foreign employees outside the Kingdom their Iqama will expire soon. Is there a procedure to renew their Iqama before its expiry?

All residents outside the Kingdom who have Iqama that expires after flights suspension decision, their Iqama validity will be automatically extended for 3 months

Q. The Iqama expires soon, is there any exemption from the fees for the renewal?

All Iqamas that expire between 18/03/2020 AD and 30/06/2020 AD will be automatically extended for an additional three months from the expiry date, with no fees and with no need to check with the Passport Department.

Q. An exit and re-entry visa was issued within the past 90 days and have not been used because of flights suspension, what is the procedure in this case?

All residents of commercial professions with an exit and re-entry visas that have not been used, their permission period of leaving the Kingdom will be automatically extended for a period of 3 months from the date of 20/03/2020 AD in addition to the remaining period

Q. We have workers who live outside of the region facing difficulty entering Riyadh everyday due t the suspension of entry to the city. What should we do?

If the company's activity is one of the exempted activities mentioned in this list

labour and employees can enter and exit according to the approved permission that you can get from here

The pass must be signed and stamped by the company itself without the need for any stamp or signature from other government entities.

Q. Is it allowed for cargo transportation cars to enter the main cities and move between the cities of the Kingdom during the curfew period?

A. All cargo and supplies trucks are permitted to move between cities and within cities at all times without the need of a permission for the driver or the truck.

Q. During the current situation, Is there any government support for Umrah companies that have pilgrims who were unable to leave Saudi Arabia due to the suspension of flights?

A. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, provide pilgrims who are delayed in leaving for their countries within the permitted period of Umrah 1441 AH the opportunity to submit an exemption request before Saturday 04/08/14414 AH corresponding to 28/03/2020 AD through the following link https://eservices.haj.gov.sa
The Ministry is also cooperating with other relevant authorities to provide pilgrims transportation to return back to their countries

Q. We have executives and employees present in quarantined areas, and some who have been quarantined. Are they in consideration for unpaid vacation/leave?

Q. The General Manager who authorized government and banking transactions is abroad. Can he/she authorize or instruct other employees while being out of Kingdom?

Q. We have documents to be attested by the Saudi embassy, but the embassy is closed. What is the procedure in this situation?

A. You can contact the our InvestorCare team before applying for any documents to be attested by the Saudi embassy in order to look for possible solutions

Q. Is there government compensation for losses incurred due to the current measures taken in this period?

Q. We have obligations to provide employment and shipments outside the Kingdom, but current travel disruption has affected our service to clients. Is there a legal obligation toward that?

Q. How can I attest an Article of Association while the Ministry of Investment is closed?

Q. I would like to attest power of attorney from Saudi Notary Office. How is that possible?

A. You can contact our Investor Care team to ease the attestation procedure

Q. I am an investor and trying to renew the Iqama from Absher’s online platform, but I am getting a system error. What should I do?

A. You can send all the documents to our Investor Care team in order to process the request manually through the passport representative at the business center

Q. We have suspected COVID19 cases, but insurance companies have refused to cover the costs of the medical examination. How should we deal with this situation?

Q. What kind of support does the Ministry of Investment offer during the current situation?

Q. Contracts of suppliers have penalties in case of delayed delivery of supplies; is there any kind of support to overcome this issue, or extend the time of delivery stated in the contract?

Q: Is the suspension of work at offices and headquarters mandatory, or falls under the restrictions stated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development?

A: Yes, it is mandatory with exceptions outlined in the directives of the Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development.

Q.: Not having employees at the workplace would prevent work. Does that mean we should consider it as an unpaid leave? 

A: The directive stated clearly that it’s a suspension from attending the workplace in headquarters; and not a leave. Branches are allowed to have employees work at the premises as long as their total does not exceed 40% of the total number of their employees.

Q: Some employees are freshly hired - less than three months - and on their probation period; therefore they don’t have any vacation days balance. How can we handle this issue?

A: The directive stated that it’s a suspension from attending the workplace in headquarters; and not a leave. Also, companies and workplaces were encouraged to benefit from the modern technology, to ensure business continuity even during this challenging time.

Q: During the current situation, is there any government support that helps business continuity and growth for the private sector?

A. The government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is moving decisively to address the unprecedented effects and consequences of the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic crisis, and is taking immediate measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. And to address its fiscal, financial and economic impact, the Minister of Finance, Acting Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, stated that the government has taken precautionary and strong measures to protect citizens and residents in the Kingdom, and to ensure the availability of immediate financial resources which will guarantee that all direct preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus and address this pandemic crisis' consequences, as well as protect government facilities and entities and ensure the continuity of their work. His Excellency also stressed that the health and safety of the Kingdom’s citizens and residents comes first in the priorities of government’s action’s and that the government will avail all the required appropriations for the health sector, to provide and deliver the necessary health services for prevention, treatment and control of infection.

In addition, the Minister announced that the government has prepared urgent initiatives to support the private sector, especially small and medium enterprises and economic activities most affected by the virus. The financial stimulus package of these initiatives reaches more than SAR 70 bn, which consists of exemptions and postponement of some government dues to provide liquidity to the private sector thereby enabling them to manage continuity of their economic activities. In addition, SAMA has announced a package of SAR 50 bn, to support the banking sector, financial institutions and SMEs.

These vital initiatives are as follows:

1. Automatic 3-month extension for all resident’s visas with a fee exemption (till the end of June 2020)
2. Enabling employers to refund the fees of issued work visas that were not used during the ban on entry and exit, even if they were stamped in the passport, or extend them for a period of three months without charge.
3. Enabling employers to extend exit and re-entry visas that were not used during the ban on entry and exit from the Kingdom for a period of three months without charge.
4. Enabling business owners, for a period of three months, to postpone the payment of value-added tax, excise tax, income tax, and the submission of Zakat declarations and the payment of obligations due therefrom. The decision allows also to grant zakat certificates without restrictions for the period of fiscal year 2019, and to accept installment requests to the General Authority of Zakat and Income Tax without applying the condition of advance payment. In addition, postponing the execution of services suspension procedures and financial seizure by the General Authority of Zakat and Income, and setting the necessary criteria to extend the postponement period for the most affected activities as needed. 

5. Postponing the collection of customs duties on imports for a period of thirty days against the submission of a bank guarantee, for the next three months and setting the necessary criteria for extending the postponement period for the most affected activities as needed.
6. Postponing the payment of some government services fees and municipal fees due on private sector, for a period of three months, and setting the necessary criteria to extend the postponement period for the most affected activities as needed.
7. Authorizing the Minister of Finance to approve lending and other forms of financing as well as exemption from payment of fees and returns on loans granted until the end of 2020, under the Corporate Sustainability Program initiative.
8. Forming a committee headed by the Minister of Finance and the membership of each of Minister of Economy and Planning, the Minister of Commerce, the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Vice Chairman of the National Development Fund Board of Directors and the Governor of the National Development Fund, and shall have the following duties:

(a)       Identifying and reviewing incentives, facilities, and other initiatives led by the National Development Fund or any of its funds and banks, with the aim of mitigating the exceptional and unprecedented economic situation, in light of the implications of the coronavirus, the impact of the precautionary measures taken by the Kingdom’s government and the low oil prices.

(b)       Setting the criteria of designing and applying initiatives and their details.

(c)        Identifying the amounts that will be used to support these initiatives from the resources available at the funds and banks under the National Development Fund for this purpose and as needed.

(d)       The committee may conduct transfers between these funds and banks and the Saudi Export-Import Bank as needed.

(e)       The committee may direct both, the Kafala program and the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, to develop the necessary initiatives to support the objectives during this exceptional period, and to support them from the available resources at the funds and banks under the National Development Fund as needed.

In addition, the government will use the tools available to finance the private sector, especially small and medium enterprises, in addition to strengthening support programs to mitigate the impact on the private sector and economic activities, and to ensure the promotion of financial stability. The government also confirms its determination in paying its obligations in accordance with their due dates will honor its payments, in addition to applying measures that maintain the financial sector soundness. 

His Excellency Al-Jadaan emphasized that due to the financial strength of the economy and efficiencies and improvements already achieved, the government has considerable ability to diversify sources of financing between public debt and government reserves to adequately tackle the emerging challenges. This allows positive intervention in the economy in the right way and at the right time, while limiting the impact on the government's goals in maintaining fiscal sustainability and economic development in the medium and long term.

His Excellency also stated that some budget appropriations will be reviewed and reallocated to the sectors most in need in the current situation, including allocating additional funds to the health sector as needed. An emergency budget was also introduced to cover any costs that may arise during the developments of this global crisis.

Mr. Al-Jadaan stressed that the government’s focus is to make every effort to address the pandemic’s threats on health and community. The government will also continue to improve the efficiency of fiscal and economic performance to better confront the impacts of the virus spread, in addition to preserving the fiscal and economic gains achieved during the recent period. His Excellency commended the response of citizens and their backing to their leadership. He also highlighted businessmen’s initiatives to support commercial establishments and facility their activity by exempting them from rent and other dues during the current circumstances. The Minister also stressed the necessity of continuing to follow the instructions provided by the Ministry of Health in order to overcome the crisis with minimal loss.

His Excellency added that the coronavirus pandemic has spread to many countries, which necessitates continued international coordination, notably through G20 countries and relevant international organizations to overcome this troubling period with minimal human and material loss.

Moreover, directives have been issued to form a number of ministerial committees that aim to study the impact and repercussions of the emerging coronavirus crisis and its challenges on sectors or regions, and study the prospect and means of tackling them through subsidies or stimulus packages or other forms. These committees are as follows:

• Energy Committee.
• Trade, Tourism, Entertainment and Sports Committee.
• Industry and Mineral Resources Committee.
• Logistic Services Committee

Q: Does SAMA's "Private Sector Financing Support Program" include foreign investors?

Yes, the announced government initiatives include all licensed and operating, Saudi and foreign, establishments and companies in the Kingdom.

Q: What are the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development?

A. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced seven initiatives for the private sector during the current period:

1- Lifting the suspension of wages protection during the pandemic.2- Lifting the suspension due to failure to pay the accrued fines.3- Suspending fines related to recruitment.4- Lifting the Temporary Suspension from private sector facilities to in order to correctify their activity.5 – Immediate calculating of Saudi in Nitaqat program for all establishments.6- Continuity of services for VIP clients around the clock.7- Providing secondment of employees through the Ajeer program by facilitating work procedures, reducing workload burdens for the affected sectors, and assisting the sectors in need.

Q: Where can I apply for employee secondment?

A. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development provided a secondment of employees service through the Ajeer program by facilitating work procedures, reducing workload burdens for the affected sectors and assisting the sectors in need. With the understanding that the private worker cannot be seconded from the employer to a private facility, as the Ajeer policies are compatible with labor regulations and undermining labor laws is strictly prohibited in the program.

Q: I have a suspension on my establishment at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development; will services be interrupted during the current period?

A. Among the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to maintain continuity of work:

•Remove suspension related to wages protection during the current period.

•Remove suspension due to non-payment of fines.

•Remove suspension related to recruitment fines.

•Temporarily remove suspension from private sector organizations in order to correct their activity.

Q: What is the time taken to calculate the employment of Saudis in Nitaqat?

A. Among the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is the immediate calculation in Saudi workforce in Nitaqat, where the employment of Saudis in Nitaqat is calculated immediately for all establishments.

Q: During the current situation, a decision was announced to suspend public transportation (buses and taxis), some employees and labors use these transportation to go to workplaces. Is there an exception in this case?

A. The buses belonging to commercial establishments transporting their employees are exempted from the ban.

Q: Some employees were issued a final exit visa but were unable to leave the country because of the flight suspension, can the visas be extended?

A. After the decision of flight suspension in Saudi Arabia, The General Directorate of Passposrts called on all those who have exit visa to quickly cancel them before their expiry.
You may check the validity of the visa or apply for cancelation through “Absher” or “Muqeem” e-services.

Q: What are the exempted activities from the curfew?

There are several activities in a number of vital and logistics sectors that are exempt from the curfew:

Agricultural and Food Sector:
1. Farms, beekeepers, livestock and fish owners and associated markets and selling points
2. Food services for takeout orders
3. Groceries (hyper and supermarkets) and bakeries
4. Wholesale markets for excluded activities
5. Vegetable stores, poultry and meat shops, and slaughterhouses
6. Food and beverages factories
7. Stations for storing, packing and selling barley and forages
8. Shops selling fertilizer inputs, seeds and pesticides, and operating machinery and agricultural equipment
9. Clinics, pharmacies, veterinary laboratories and veterinarians
10. Pet Care (not including buying and selling)
Health and Treatment Sector:
1. Hospitals
2. Medical clinics and dispensaries (except for beauty clinics)
3. Medical complexes (public and private) except for beauty specialty
4. Medical Laboratories
5. Patient transportation service centers (private ambulance)
6. Pharmacies, medical equipments supplies
7. Medical companies assisting the Ministry of Health services such as dialysis centers
8. Radiology centers
9. Medical materials, medicines and medical devices factories
10. Optical and audio devices shops
11. Supporting and operation and maintenance contractors in the health sector
12. Cleaning products and sterilizers factories
Energy Sector:
1. Gas stations and selling
2. Oil and gas extraction
3. Refining and oil and gas transportation
4. Maintenance and operation of oil and gas wells
5. Drilling and surveying for oil and gas wells
6. Exploration, surveying and ground services for oil and gas wells
7. Maintenance and operation of power stations and transmission and distribution lines
8. Electricity generation and production
9. Manufacture and maintenance of motors, generators and electrical transformers
10. Installation and maintenance of control equipment for industrial equipment and radiological devices
11. Providing energy measurement and verification services
Water Sector:
1. Sewage tankers
2. Water emergency services
3. Tubs and water tanks
4. Water production (desalination and purification plants), transportation, distribution, operation and maintenance of water
Communications and Postal Sector:
1. Telecom and internet operators
2. Workers in post and parcel companies
3. Workers in delivery applications and e-commerce for the excluded activities
4. Database operators and cloud computing
Banking and Digital Payment Sector:
1. Banks, exchange and remittances
2. Operation and maintenance of digital payments
Basic and Mining Industries Sector:
1. Factories
2. Chemical factories for excluded activities
3. Military and related industries
4. Packaging and printing factories associated with the excluded sectors
5. Light and support industries associated with supply chains for the excluded sectors
6. Manufacture of electrical equipment and electric cables associated with the excluded sectors
7. Manufacture of spare parts related to the excluded sectors
8. Mining industries
Transportation and Logistics Sector:
1. Road freight transport
2. Warehouses and stores
3. Customs clearance
4. Port work
5. Maintenance and operation of airports
6. Excluded flight and air freight
7. Rail transport of goods and maintenance of railways
8. Sea transport of goods and passenger transport by ferry between Jizan and the island of Forsan
9. Maintenance and implementation of roads, bridges and tunnels
10. Logistics services for excluded activities
Operation and maintenance:
1. Operation and maintenance of excluded activities
2. City hygiene, pest control and solid waste management
3. Maintenance works for houses and buildings (plumbing, air-conditioning, electricity, elevators and electric doors)
4. Irrigation and gardening and planting works
5. Security guards
6. Delivery of spare parts for excluded activities
7. Vehicle maintenance at gas stations
8. Private laboratories for excluded activities
9. Accident handling and assessment
10. Laundries
Accommodation and Hotels Sector:
1. Hotels
2. Furnished apartments
3. Furnished housing units
Environment and Meteorology Sector:
1. Environmental control and compliance
Media Sector:
1. Media channels and institutions
Contracting Sector:
Contracting companies
Trading Sector:
Wholesale and retail trade

َQ. I have an emergency that requires me to move from one region to another. Is there an exemption to the decision of preventing moving between regions of the Kingdom?

You can request a movement permission via the following link: https://tanaqul.ecloud.sa/login , allocated by The Saudi Public Security.

The request must include the beneficiary information and contact details, a brief explanation of the situation that requires moving from region to another with a proof of that, then the relevant team will directly contact you to study the situation and grant you the permit.

Q. What are the home delivery requirements for restaurants during the emerging Coronavirus crisis?

A. 1. General Requirements:
• Compliance with the instructions issued by the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
• Refrain from transporting and delivering prohibited or dangerous items.
• Not to transfer or deliver the order for a walking distance of more than (45) minutes.
• Informing the security authorities in case of suspicion of goods.

2. Transportation Requirements:
• Completion of traffic rules and existence of suitable containers.
• Not to place any foodstuff directly on the floor of the car.
• The containers shall be sealed, and made of materials that bear continuous cleaning.
• Putting foodstuff in place to prevent mechanical damage due to movement.
• Putting an identification board of the licensed company, the license number, and the car plate number.

3. Delivery Agents Requirements:
• Must be Saudi, and not less than 18 years old.
• Doesn't have precedents and have a valid driving license.
• Presence of an identification card, health certificate or medical examination.
• Wearing gloves and masks during delivery.
• Temperature examination for all delivery agents on daily basis.
• Stop of delivery in case of any symptoms appeared.
• Emphasis on car hygiene, drivers hygiene and their overall appearance.
• Obliging agents to stay clean and use sterilizers during the delivery process.

4. Food Establishments Requirements:
• Serving beverages in cans instead of cups.
• Delivery agent does not enter the restaurant.
Covering tight the entire order and putting a sticker on it.
• Sterilization of tools used in the delivery process after each process.
• Having a bag carrying Mada device, which helps in completing the process.
• Separating and packing foodstuffs with different properties.

You can also see the list of (temporary) health measures for home delivery to prevent the spread of Coronavirus by clicking here.

Q: Some factories located inside the ban areas such as Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, and are not from the exempted activities, require the presence of employees in workplaces during curfew hours, is there an exception in this situation?

Factories that are not from the exempted activities and facing challenges in the presence of their employees during curfew hours, especially factories that are operating 24 hours a day and whose employees are located in other regions and having difficulties to move between ban regions, can submit an exception request to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources representatives including the following information:

1. Factory name, industrial license number, and commercial registration.
2. Establishment number in Labor Office and serial number
3. Factory location and residence location (staff route path)
4. The number of employees need the exception and the transportation type.

The above data is to be sent to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources representatives via emails and numbers provided in this file according to the region in which the factory is located in.

Q: What is the new coronavirus (COVID-19), what are its symptoms, how is it spread and is it spread through commercial shipments, how can we prevent it from spreading in workplaces?

A: You may find the answers to all your questions regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the attached awareness guide created by the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance by clicking here.

Q. Is there an extension for the safety certificates of Saudi ships?

A. In support of the logistic work, and to ensure the continuity of transporting goods by the sea and preventing the spread of Corona Virus (COVID-19), The Public Transport Authority extends the validity of Safety Certificates, remotely, for ships flying the Saudi flag by contacting the authority via the following email: m.t.s@tga.gov.sa

َQ. What health instructions and procedures establishments must adhere to in order to prevent the spread of (COVID-19) in labors' residences?

A. To know the health instructions and procedures that must be taken in labors’ residences to prevent the spread of (COVID-19), you can see the guidelines provided by Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control by clicking here.

Q. What is the “Employment Support Program” provided by the Human Resources Development Fund, and how can my organization benefit from this program?

A. It is one of the employment support programs that aims to support job seekers in private sectors by bearing a percentage of employee wages according to specific rules, for employees who were hired from July 1, 2019 until now.

All private sector organizations can benefit from this program starting from 1/7/2019, as long as they are not suspended by any of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development or the Human Resources Development Fund.

For more information about the program and how to register, you can see the attached file by clicking here and the related FAQ by clicking here.

Q: Is there any government support for Saudis working in private sector establishments affected by the precautionary measures taken in the current situation?

Q. Is there a maximum limit to the number of employees who can benefit from the support provided to Saudis working in private sector establishments?

A. Yes, the subsidy will cover 100% of Saudis working in establishments that have 5 Saudi workers or less, and up to 70% of Saudis working in establishments with more than 5 workers.

Q: Is there a maximum limit to the subsidy's paid value?

A. Yes, the value of the subsidy is 60% of the wage registered in GOSI for a period of three months, up to a maximum of 9,000 riyals per month.

Q:How can establishments benefit from the decision and apply for subsidy?

A. You can apply through the General Organization for Social Insurance website. Applying started on April 9th, 2020 and compensations will be issued starting from the beginning of May 2020.
For more information on how to apply you can see the attached file by clicking here.

Q: Does the decision include all establishments in the private sector?

A. Compensation is paid to all workers in private sector establishments affected by the repercussions of the emerging Coronavirus pandemic, except for sectors that are not significantly affected by the it, such as:

- The Financial Sector, including those licensed by SAMA, banks, finance companies, insurance companies, insurance brokers, and licensees from the Capital Market Authority.

- Central markets, food and supplies

- Telecom operators

Q: What are the requirements to benefit from the subsidy?

A. 1. The establishment has to have been commited in regular paying wages to its employees during the first quarter of this year.
2. That the employee have been subscribed to the unemployment insurance branch before the date 1/1/2020 until now.

To view the summary of the meeting devoted to the discussion on the Royal Decree, with the payment of a monthly compensation to the Saudi employees in the establishments affected by the repercussions of the Corona virus, click here

Q: Now that the curfew hours have been extended in Dammam, does this include the industrial cities located inside it?

َQ. What are the initiatives announced by the General Authority of Zakat and Tax to support the private sector?

A. What are the initiatives announced by the General Authority of Zakat and Tax to support the private sector?
The General Authority of Zakat and Tax (GAZT) has announced the following initiatives to benefit the private sector:
• Cancellation of all fines, for taxpayers, when submitting tax returns, provided to their commitment to pay all amounts due, after the submission or amendment, during the period from 18 March 2020 to 30 June 2020
• Cancellation of all fines, for taxpayers, upon registration of any taxpayer with the Authority, provided to register and submit all tax declarations to the Authority and commit to pay the sums due until 30 June 2020
• Accepting installment requests for all due amounts from taxpayers, provided to submit installment requests during the period from March 18, 2020 AD to June 30, 2020 AD

Q. Due to the current situation, I was late to register my tax returns, I will register during the initiative period from 18 March 2020 to 30 June 2020ِ. Am I exempted from fines?

Q. I have due amounts and fines for tax returns that were submitted previously, in case of installment and payment during the mentioned period for the initiative, do I still have to pay the fines?

Q. I am resident and I would like to return to my country, what can I do in spite of the suspension of international flights?

The Ministry of Interior has announced the launch of "Return" initiative to exceptionally support residents having (exit and re-entry visa or final exit visa) and wishing to fly to their countries by submitting an online request through "Absher" platform.
The ministry explained that the initiative is carried out in cooperation with a number of relevant government agencies, and will receive applications and approve them in coordination with the concerned authorities to complete their travel through international flights, where a text message will be sent to the beneficiary explaining the date of the trip, the ticket number and the booking information, in which the beneficiary issues the ticket and completes travel procedures.
You can apply through "Absher" e-services platform, then select (Return) icon and fill the following fields (residence number - date of birth - mobile number - city of departure - airport of arrival), knowing that it is not necessary to have an account in Absher to get benefit from the service.
The Ministry also confirmed that the departure will be "through the following airports: King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the city, and Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Airport in Dammam, and it will allow beneficiaries outside these cities to reach to the airport of departure at a sufficient time before check in time.

Q. During the current situation, can the establishment reduce some operational expenses, such as employee wages or paying in proportion to the actual number of working hours?

A. Among the Kingdoms' government efforts to control the repercussions of the new Corona virus, The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has launched a decision to regulate the contractual relations between employees and employers.
Within the coming six months, and in case of any situation that requires a reduction in working hours or taking other procedures to limit the aggravation of the situation, The Ministry has allowed the employer to take action that may prevent him from fulfilling the obligations included in the labor system regulations or the work contract between him and the employee, starting with agreeing with the employee to reduce wages in proportion to the actual number of working hours, or granting the employee a leave that is calculated from the annual leave, or granting the employee an exceptional leave according to Article (Hundred and Sixteen) of labor system, knowing that termination of work contract is not legal if it is proven that the employer has benefited from any government subsidy to face this situation.
The ministry has also temporary allowed to benefit from the services of immigrant workers through "Ajir" as an alternative to external recruitment, where the ministry aims through this decision to protect employees during these circumstances from termination or loss of contractual benefits in the employment contract.
Through this decision, the Ministry seeks to sustain the kingdom's labor market by urging both sides of the relationship to temporarily reduce operating expenses on the affected establishments and regulating the labor market, mitigating the economic impact on the private sector, and achieving the interests of both sides of the labor relationship under the new Coronavirus pandemic.

Q. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has launched a decision to regulate the contractual relations between employees and employers in regards to reducing employee wages and granting annual and exceptional vacations, what are the provisions and procedures for that?

A. Among the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in controlling the repercussions of the new Coronavirus, and taking preventive and precautionary measures to confront any exceptional situation described as a force majeure, The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has launched a decision to regulate the contractual relations between employees and employers.

The Ministry approved a number of procedures related to wages, annual leaves and exceptional leaves that must be implemented and Committed to within the six months following the measures that have been taken in the happening circumstances or situations.

For more details you can see the Ministerial Decision by clicking here, and the explanatory note of the decision by clicking here.

You can also see the most common questions related to the decision by clicking here.

Q. What are the health requirements of establishments working in contracting sector during the Corona pandemic?

To know the health instructions and requirements of the contracting sector establishments, you can see the guidelines provided by The Saudi Contractors Authority by clicking here.

Q. The general manager / the investor / the authorized person for the entitys' bank account is outside the Kingdom and his Iqama will expire soon, thus the bank account was suspended, is there a way to to activate the account or extend the validity of authorization?

"SAMA" approved to extend the suspension of individuals bank accounts due to the expiry of the national identity or due to the change of the account status into a dormant account, as well as the suspension of legal persons bank accounts, for all reasons related to the expiration such as the expiry of the authorized person identity and the expiry of the commercial registration that could not be renewed due to the expiration of identity, until further notice.

SAMA also directed banks to extend the validity of the ATM cards that expired or are about to expire until 10/10/1441 AH, to enable customers to use them in this period for cash withdrawal and purchase through points of sale, with the importance of fulfilling the customer’s approval and finding the best solutions to facilitate the renewal procedures and deliver them for customers in all available ways.

Q. I have an engineering license issued by the Saudi Council of Engineers that expires soon, how can i renew it?

The Saudi Council of Engineers announced a decision to extend all expired memberships and licenses for a period of 5 months starting from 1 March 2020 to 30 July 2020. The decision includes engineers and individual technicians, engineering offices, engineering companies and support services companies.

Q. How can owners of health facilities communicate with the business sector in the Ministry of Health?

The Ministry of Health has provided a call center for clients and investors in the private health sector to provide the following services:

• Inquiries about investment opportunities in the health sector
• Inquiries about health facility licenses
• Receive suggestions and notifications
• Small and medium enterprises services
• Follow up on financial dues

The center receives inquiries and suggestions during official working hours throughout the week by calling the following number: 920018090

Q. Is there a government support or postpone to the period of paying electricity bills for the private sector?

A. Among the efforts made to mitigate the effects of the Corona pandemic on the private sector, the following initiatives were announced to support the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors:

Among the efforts made to mitigate the effects of the Corona pandemic on the private sector, the following initiatives were announced to support the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors:

1. Provide a discount on the value of the electricity bill for consumers in the commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors of 30% for the months of (April - May) with the possibility of extension.

2. Optionally allowing consumers in the commercial and industrial sectors to pay 50% of the monthly value of the electricity bills of (April, May and June) 2020. This initiative is automatically applied by paying half of the bill amount through the payment channels approved by the service providers, provided that the remaining dues must be collected in divided installments for 6 months starting from January 2021 with the possibility to postpone the payment period if necessary.

Q. During the current situation, is there any support for importers regarding the collection of customs duties?

Yes, an initiative has been launched by the Saudi Customs to motivate the private sector and support importers by postponing the collection of customs duties, with a documentary commitment, for a period of 30 days starting from April 19, 2020 until June 22, 2020.
For more details on

For more details about the initiative, its requirements and how to register, you can see the Saudi Customs Portal through the following link: https://customs.gov.sa/LG

َQ. I would like to move within the city or between the governorates of the region for an important matter. How can I get an exception?

The General Security launched a service to move within the regions and between the governorates and neighborhoods within the city for people with emergency and exceptional circumstances during the curfew period. The service is available for residents of all regions of the Kingdom except for Makkah and Madinah.
You can apply for the service through the following link: https://tanaqul.ecloud.sa/login

Q. Is there any support for Saudi individuals working independently and registered with the Transport General Authority and not affiliated with any establishment?

Q. I have accommodations for labors registered on my company. Do I need to define the locations and details of their accommodations?

Q. How can I contact SAMA to inquire about the initiatives and programs to supporting the private sector?

You can contact SAMA through the following communication channels:

Toll Free: 8001256666

Telephone: 0114633000 Ext. 2272 / 4296 / 5824

E-mail: cpd@sama.gov.sa