If you are planning to work in Saudi Arabia, securing the right health insurance is no longer just a formality — it is a legal requirement that directly affects your visa approval. As of November 2025, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia introduced a major policy shift: all foreign nationals applying for a temporary work visa must obtain a valid health insurance policy before their visa is issued.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know — from the new 2025–2026 regulations to choosing the best CCHI-approved health insurance plan for expats in Saudi Arabia.
What Changed in 2025: The New Mandatory Health Insurance Rule
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) officially announced the new requirement in November 2025. The policy, widely reported by global immigration firms including KPMG and Fragomen in December 2025, fundamentally changed how temporary work visa (TWS) applicants must approach health coverage.
Previously, employers could arrange health insurance after the work visa was issued. That option no longer exists. Today, the health insurance policy must be in place before the visa is approved. This affects every foreign national seeking a temporary work assignment in the Kingdom.
The change also introduced stricter conditions around who provides the insurance and how it is registered. Employers cannot use just any insurer anymore — the coverage must come from a provider that is registered with the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) and is directly linked to the sponsoring employer.
Understanding the CCHI: Saudi Arabia's Health Insurance Regulator
The Council of Cooperative Health Insurance (CCHI) is the body that regulates and oversees all health insurance activities in Saudi Arabia. Every legitimate health insurer operating in the Kingdom must hold CCHI accreditation.
For expats and their employers, this matters greatly. Only CCHI-approved insurance providers can issue policies that satisfy Saudi visa requirements. If you or your employer selects a provider outside the CCHI-approved list, your visa application will face rejection or significant delays.
The CCHI's primary role is to standardize coverage packages, monitor insurers, and ensure that both Saudi and non-Saudi employees receive adequate healthcare access. Saudi Arabia currently has around 23 licensed health insurance companies operating under CCHI oversight, with Bupa Arabia and Tawuniya (The Company for Cooperative Insurance) dominating the market, collectively holding approximately 70% of all health insurance business in the Kingdom.
Who Needs Health Insurance for a Saudi Work Visa?
The short answer is: every foreign national entering Saudi Arabia for employment purposes. Here is how coverage requirements break down by visa category.
Temporary Work Visa (TWS) holders must now secure CCHI-approved health insurance before their visa is processed. The employer (or Employer of Record) is legally responsible for arranging this coverage.
Iqama (residence permit) holders — those on long-term employment contracts — must maintain active health insurance throughout their stay. Employers in Saudi Arabia's private sector are legally required to provide health coverage for all employees and their eligible dependants, including spouses, unmarried daughters of any age, and sons under 25 who are unmarried and unemployed.
Premium residency visa holders, such as investors and entrepreneurs, must arrange their own private health insurance independently. Special talent categories may receive employer-sponsored coverage as part of their contract terms.
Freelancers and self-employed expats must independently source and maintain private insurance from a CCHI-approved provider.
GCC nationals (from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE) are the exception — they can access public healthcare facilities using their home country's health benefits.
The New Employer Obligations Under the 2025–2026 Rules
Employers sponsoring foreign workers carry the heaviest compliance burden under the updated rules. If you are working with a Saudi company or an Employer of Record (EOR) service, here is what they must now do on your behalf.
First, the employer must select a health insurance provider that is both CCHI-approved and registered under the employer's name. Previously, any insurer listed on the Enjaz platform was acceptable — that is no longer the case. The insurer must be tied specifically to the sponsoring entity.
Second, the employer or EOR must submit a copy of the employee's passport and temporary employment contract to the insurance provider, who then reports these details to the CCHI system. This creates a direct digital link between your identity, your employer, and your health coverage.
Third, failure to complete these steps before visa submission can result in visa rejection, project delays, and workforce disruptions. For multinational companies managing large teams in Saudi Arabia, this step must now be built into every onboarding workflow from day one.
Step-by-Step: How to Get Health Insurance for Your Saudi Work Visa
Follow these steps to secure compliant health coverage and protect your visa application.
Step 1 — Confirm your visa category. Identify whether you are applying for a Temporary Work Visa (TWS), an employment visa with Iqama, or another visa type. Each carries different insurance obligations and timelines.
Step 2 — Coordinate with your Saudi employer or EOR. Your sponsoring employer must initiate the insurance process. If you are working through an EOR service, confirm with them that they have already identified a CCHI-approved insurer registered under their entity in Saudi Arabia.
Step 3 — Select a CCHI-approved insurance provider. Your employer will typically handle this, but you have every right to ask which insurer they use and what the policy covers. You can also verify CCHI-approved providers directly through the CCHI's official portal at chi.gov.sa.
Step 4 — Submit your passport and employment contract to the insurer. The insurer needs both documents to register your policy correctly with the CCHI database. This is a non-negotiable step under the 2025 rules.
Step 5 — Obtain your insurance certificate. Once your policy is active and registered, the insurer issues a certificate. Your employer or EOR must include this document in the work visa application submitted to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
Step 6 — Complete your remaining visa requirements. Health insurance is one part of a broader Saudi work visa checklist that also includes GAMCA medical fitness tests, document attestation, MOFA visa authorization, and Qiwa platform registration by the employer.
What Does Saudi Work Visa Health Insurance Typically Cover?
Understanding your coverage helps you plan your healthcare needs before you land in Riyadh, Jeddah, or any other Saudi city.
All CCHI-mandated health insurance plans for expats in Saudi Arabia must include essential benefits: outpatient consultations, inpatient hospital care, emergency treatment, and access to prescription medications. These form the baseline coverage package regulated by the CCHI.
Beyond the basics, coverage varies depending on the plan your employer selects. Some plans include maternity care, dental services, and optical treatments. Others may have limited networks of approved hospitals or impose waiting periods for pre-existing conditions.
It is important to review your policy carefully. Certain chronic conditions or specialist treatments may not be covered under standard employer-sponsored plans, and co-payments for out-of-network care can be significant. If you have ongoing medical needs, discuss them with your employer's HR team before your departure.
Recommended minimum coverage benchmarks for expats include at least SAR 100,000 (approximately USD 26,667) in medical coverage per year, plus emergency medical evacuation coverage of at least USD 100,000. For long-term expat assignments, international private medical insurance (iPMI) plans from providers like Cigna Global or Allianz Care offer broader global coverage that can supplement your employer-provided Saudi plan.
Cost of Health Insurance for Saudi Arabia Work Visas
The cost of health insurance for expats in Saudi Arabia varies based on age, health status, coverage tier, and the insurer selected. Here is a general cost overview for 2025–2026.
Employer-sponsored basic health insurance for a single employee typically runs between USD 100 and USD 300 per year when bundled into the overall work visa cost package. More comprehensive plans covering dependants, dental, and optical benefits will cost considerably more.
Employers also bear the Iqama renewal fee (SAR 650 annually) and a monthly foreign worker levy of SAR 800 per month (SAR 9,600 annually) per expatriate employee under the Nitaqat quota system. Health insurance costs sit on top of these obligations.
For employees negotiating job offers in Saudi Arabia, it is worth clarifying in your employment contract exactly what your health coverage includes, who covers dependant health insurance, and whether your employer provides supplemental iPMI for international coverage during home visits.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Health Insurance in Saudi Arabia
Many first-time applicants and even experienced HR teams make avoidable errors that delay visa processing. Here are the pitfalls to watch for.
Waiting until after visa submission to arrange insurance is the most costly mistake, now that the 2025 rules require prior coverage. Start the insurance process as soon as you receive your job offer and visa authorization.
Choosing a non-CCHI-approved insurer is another frequent error. Always verify that the insurer appears on the official CCHI registry before signing any policy.
Failing to link the insurance policy to your passport in the CCHI system is a critical step that some EOR providers overlook. Without this digital registration, the insurance policy will not be recognized as valid for visa purposes even if you hold a certificate.
Ignoring dependant coverage is also a common oversight. If your family will join you in Saudi Arabia, ensure your employer's plan covers them — or arrange separate CCHI-compliant coverage before their dependent visas are processed.
Final Thoughts: Plan Early, Stay Compliant
Saudi Arabia's health insurance requirements for work visas reflect the Kingdom's broader commitment to labor reform under Vision 2030 — a national agenda that prioritizes workforce welfare, regulatory modernization, and the gradual transition away from the traditional Kafala sponsorship model.
For foreign professionals and their employers, the November 2025 update means one thing above all else: health insurance is no longer an afterthought. It is the first step in the Saudi work visa process, not the last.
Plan early, work with a CCHI-approved provider, and ensure every document — from your employment contract to your passport details — is correctly submitted to the insurer and registered with the CCHI system. Do this right, and your path to working in Saudi Arabia will be significantly smoother.
This article reflects regulatory changes and guidelines current as of March 2026. Always consult a licensed immigration professional or your Saudi employer's legal team for advice specific to your situation.