Sponsor Passed Away — How to Transfer Domestic Worker Sponsorship in Saudi Arabia

When a sponsor passes away, many families assume their domestic worker must leave the country immediately. That is not true. Under Saudi law, the sponsorship can be transferred to a legal heir — allowing the worker to stay.

The scenario (from Twitter)

@kian_x asked Absher: “My father passed away. Our domestic worker is under his sponsorship. Can we transfer the sponsorship to me instead of issuing a final exit?”

@CareAljawazat confirmed: Yes, sponsorship transfer is possible through the legal heir process. (Source)

Two options after sponsor’s death

This article covers Option 1: Transfer. For Option 2, see our Domestic Worker Exit Guide.

How to transfer sponsorship — step by step

Step 1: Obtain the inheritance inventory document (Sakk His al-Irth)

Before anything else, you need the official inheritance inventory (صك حصر الإرث). This is issued by:

• A Saudi court, OR
• A notary public (Muhakama)

The document must list:

• The deceased’s details
• All legal heirs
• All assets (including sponsored workers)

Step 2: Legal heir renounces and accepts

The legal heir who will become the new sponsor must:

• Renounce their share of the inheritance for the worker’s sponsorship
• Accept responsibility for the domestic worker
• This is done at the Jawazat office in person

Step 3: Visit Jawazat with documents

Bring to the Jawazat office:

1. Death certificate of the original sponsor
2. Inheritance inventory (Sakk His al-Irth)
3. Worker’s passport and iqama
4. New sponsor’s iqama and passport
5. Worker’s consent (may be required)

Step 4: Jawazat processes the transfer

The Jawazat officer will:

• Cancel the deceased sponsor’s sponsorship of the worker
• Transfer sponsorship to the new legal heir
• Issue a new iqama under the new sponsor’s name

Step 5: Update Absher

After Jawazat processes the transfer:

• The new sponsor’s Absher account is updated
• The worker’s iqama is linked to the new sponsor
• All services (exit re-entry, renewals) now go through the new sponsor

Important notes

• No iqama needed yet for the worker — if no iqama was issued before the sponsor’s death, the transfer process handles this
• The worker can stay during the transfer process — no need to leave
• Timeline: Varies by Jawazat office — typically 1-2 weeks
• Cost: There may be processing fees — check with Jawazat

What if the family doesn’t want to keep the worker?

If no heir wants to take sponsorship:

• The worker must be given a final exit visa
• The legal representative visits Jawazat with the inheritance document
• The final exit is processed

See our Domestic Worker Exit Guide for this process.

Related guides

• Domestic Worker Exit After Sponsor Death
• What is Kafala/Sponsorship System
• Job Transfer Rules in Saudi Arabia
• Absher Complete Guide
• Check Iqama Expiry Date

References

1. @kian_x → @Absher → @CareAljawazat — Sponsorship transfer after death — Twitter thread (July 2026)
2. Saudi Labor Law — Domestic worker sponsorship provisions

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Sponsorship transfer rules may change. Always verify with Jawazat and a legal advisor.