Manpower Supply vs Labour Leasing vs Recruitment in Saudi Arabia

The three routes, side by side

The comparison below describes how each route usually works. Contract terms vary, so confirm each point in writing with the provider.

Why provider credentials and the Ajeer permit matter

Under the Saudi Labour Law, a worker may not work for anyone other than their employer without a legal basis, and an establishment may not use workers sponsored by someone else. Labour leasing and project supply are both built on that rule:

• ☐ Labour leasing without an underlying project contract is restricted to providers licensed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD). Project manpower supply operates under a commercial service or subcontract agreement between registered commercial establishments (CR) and must be authorized on site through an official Ajeer permit on Qiwa.
• ☐ Since 26 January 2026, Ministerial Resolution 60339 requires outsourced non-Saudi workers to be documented on the Ajeer platform (inside Qiwa), with a maximum permit term of three years or the service contract's end, whichever comes first.
• ☐ The worker may only do the profession registered on the permit, at the establishment it names.
• ☐ The provider is responsible for the permit, its renewal and the worker's employment obligations. The receiving establishment supervises the work on site and must stop using the worker if the permit expires.

Which route fits your requirement

• ☐ Choose recruitment for permanent roles you want on your own payroll for years, and when you can wait for visas and arrival.
• ☐ Choose project manpower supply when you need named trades, such as scaffolders, welders or riggers, for a defined site and period, or a crew for a fixed shutdown window.
• ☐ If a provider offers workers without an active Commercial Registration, an applicable licence or an Ajeer permit, treat that as a red flag. Both parties face substantial penalties under Article 39 when workers are deployed on site without legal authorization.
• ☐ Whatever the route, the worker's Iqama profession must match the work they do on your site.

Documents to request before workers reach your gate

• ☐ The provider's Commercial Registration (CR) with an activity covering the contracted work (and, in the case of pure labour leasing, its MHRSD licence)
• ☐ An active Ajeer permit for each worker, naming your establishment and a profession that matches the job
• ☐ A valid Iqama for each worker, with the profession on it
• ☐ Evidence of GOSI registration and valid medical insurance
• ☐ Trade evidence the site requires, such as TUV cards for scaffolders, riggers and operators, or welder qualification (WPQ) records

Where Gulf Orbit fits

Gulf Orbit supplies manpower for projects: named trades from its register of 57 documented trades, quoted against your site, headcount and dates. Mobilization of in-Kingdom personnel to project sites anywhere in Saudi Arabia takes 48–72 hours from purchase order (PO), subject to worker documents and site approvals. Complete RFQs get a response within 24 hours: a priced quotation, or an acknowledgement with any questions needed to price it.