Saudi Arabia has temporarily suspended the issuance of blockwork visa quotas to Nigeria and 13 other countries in a major policy shift aimed at controlling labour inflows during the upcoming Hajj pilgrimage season.
The suspension, announced by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, affects several African and Asian countries, including Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, and Morocco, as well as Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Blockwork visas are quota-based permits that allow Saudi employers to recruit a specified number of foreign workers. Under the current suspension, which is effective immediately and will remain in place until the end of June 2025, both new and pending applications under the system are frozen.
Saudi authorities have not publicly cited a specific reason for the temporary freeze. However, it coincides with the peak of Hajj season—a period that typically witnesses a sharp increase in foreign arrivals—and aligns with the Kingdom’s broader Saudization policy, which aims to boost employment opportunities for Saudi citizens. The policy is expected to tighten further from 2026 to 2028, particularly in sectors such as tourism and retail.
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As a result of the directive, employers in Saudi Arabia will be unable to obtain new block visa quotas for workers from the affected countries. Pending visa applications may also be delayed or denied, and individuals who have been granted work visas but have not yet entered the kingdom may face entry restrictions.
The decision deals a blow to many aspiring migrant workers from the impacted countries. Saudi Arabia remains a key destination for labour migration, especially for workers from Africa and South Asia.
According to a 2022 report by the Gulf Labour Markets, Migration, and Population Programme, over 10,000 Nigerians were employed in Saudi Arabia at that time.
Egypt had the highest number of African nationals working in the Kingdom (837,000), followed by Sudan (354,988), Morocco (18,023), Ethiopia (16,719), Tunisia (12,311), and Algeria (2,001).
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Labour rights advocates have long raised alarms over the treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, citing systemic issues such as abuse, exploitation, and lack of legal protections. The Kafala (sponsorship) system, which ties workers’ residency and legal status to their employers, has been widely criticized for enabling such abuses.
The latest suspension has further fueled concerns over the kingdom’s treatment of migrant labour, particularly as Saudi Arabia prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034—a spotlight event expected to bring increased scrutiny of its human rights and labour practices.
Stakeholders across the affected countries are now calling for diplomatic engagement to clarify the scope of the suspension and protect the rights of their nationals already employed or seeking employment in the kingdom.