The Saudi Professional Accreditation Program is reshaping the quality of the Kingdom’s expatriate workforce. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) runs the Professional Accreditation Program to do it. The program now spans more than 160 countries and over 1,000 professions. It supports Vision 2030 with a simple goal: foreign workers must prove their qualifications and skills before the Kingdom grants them a work visa.
For companies hiring into Saudi Arabia, two things matter. You need to know how the framework works. You also need to know which of its two tracks applies to each role. Get this wrong, and you face visa delays and costly rejections.
What is the Professional Accreditation Program?
MHRSD launched the program to regulate how skilled and technical labor enters the Saudi market. It runs in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation. The program splits into two distinct services.
Track 1: Qualification Verification (QVP)
This track covers high-skill, white-collar roles. Think Groups 1 to 3 of the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations: engineers, accountants, and other licensed professionals. It checks academic credentials, experience, and certifications. The process runs through the Qualification Verification Program (QVP) platform, which is fully automated. Since January 14, 2025, QVP verification has been mandatory for work visa stamping in covered professions.
One exception: healthcare professions. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health workers are not currently processed through QVP. Their credential verification is handled separately by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties through its own Mumaris Plus platform and DataFlow process, which we cover below. MHRSD has indicated that healthcare professions may be brought into QVP in the future, but as of mid-2026, they remain outside it.
Track 2: Skills Verification (SVP)
People commonly call this track the Skills Verification Program. It covers medium- and low-skill technical trades that need no academic degree. Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, welders, and mechanics all fall here. This track does not check credentials. Instead, it tests competence directly through theoretical and practical exams. Workers sit these exams at approved centers, usually before they enter the Kingdom and sometimes after. Registration runs through the SVP International platform.
Why the distinction matters
Many summaries describe the program only as “credential verification.” That description misses the trades-exam track, which governs most blue-collar hires. The recruitment industry uses a simple rule of thumb. QVP is for licensed professions. The SVP is for skilled trades.
Not every profession requires accreditation from a dedicated professional body. Some require only the QVP or SVP step. Others require QVP plus a separate sector-regulator license (engineering, health, accountancy). And some roles, particularly in newer fields, require only employer-recognized certifications. Knowing which gate applies to each role is the first step in avoiding delays.
Why the Program Exists
MHRSD states four main aims. The program seeks to improve the quality of skilled workers, raise their productivity, lift the quality of the services they deliver, and reduce the inflow of unqualified workers into the Kingdom. Employers and recruiters point to further benefits. They cite greater confidence in hiring and a more merit-based market. These are downstream effects, though, rather than formally stated government objectives.
Program Reach and Milestones
The figures below come from official Saudi sources. We date each one, because the program has grown fast and snapshots from different periods do not match.
- As of August 2025, the Saudi Press Agency reported full coverage of all targeted countries. The program now spans more than 160 nations and covers over 1,000 professions.
- The same mid-2025 milestone put cumulative accreditation above 460,000 workers by the end of the first half of 2025, as reported in August 2025. That is more than double the total recorded a year earlier.
- An MHRSD update in October 2024 had recorded more than 209,500 workers accredited across more than 127 examination centers. By the August 2025 update, that network had grown to more than 150 centers inside and outside the Kingdom.
- MHRSD launched the umbrella program in 2021. External, pre-arrival testing then rolled out in phases across the largest labor-exporting countries. Pakistan went first in September 2022, followed by India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Egypt joined in December 2023. As the program expands, further sending countries such as the Philippines and Nepal have come into scope.
One note on precision. Official and press sources consistently describe the program as covering “more than 1,000 professions.” Some secondary sources cite “1,007 professions,” but this figure does not appear in official MHRSD or SPA materials, and it is unclear whether it refers to the QVP track alone or the broader program. We use the official “more than 1,000” throughout.
How the Process Works
QVP (Qualification Verification)
Candidates register on the QVP platform. They create an account, select the occupation exactly as listed in their visa application (mapped to the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations), and submit their qualifications, experience documentation, and any professional certifications. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard.
The platform verifies credentials in three layers: authenticity of the issuing institution, alignment of the academic degree, and alignment of the qualification with the SSCO occupation. The QVP terms state a processing time of 21 days from submission, excluding official holidays. The Saudi Press Agency describes the process as taking “no more than 15 days.” In practice, timing depends on how quickly the issuing university or institution responds to the verification request, and 15 to 21 days is the realistic range.
If the result comes back as “unable to verify,” the applicant can re-submit once without paying again. The QVP FAQ states that applicants may appeal a negative result within 5 days, with one appeal permitted.
Once the applicant reaches “Qualified” status, the result is transmitted electronically to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), and the certificate can be downloaded from the platform. The PACC portal and its knowledge center publish reference material and guidance for the wider program.
The SVP certificate is valid for five years. The QVP FAQ states that QVP certificates do not have a fixed expiry, though we recommend confirming current validity rules on the platform before relying on this for long-term planning, as policy can change.
SVP (Skills Verification)
Candidates register through the SVP International platform. They complete a profile, select an approved assessment center, trade, and exam date, and sit theoretical and practical exams. The SVP certificate stays valid for five years.
Portals do change from time to time, so always confirm the current URL on the official site before you apply.
Sector Regulators: Where Licensed Professions Are Verified
For Group 1 to 3 professions, QVP verification alone is often not enough. Many regulated professions also require a separate license from the professional body that governs each field. Several sector regulators matter for expatriate hiring. The most prominent are the Saudi Council of Engineers, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, and the Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants. Other professions, including law, teaching, valuation, and translation, answer to their own licensing authorities.
Engineers: the Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE)
A Royal Decree established the SCE statute. Under it, every engineer who practices in the Kingdom must register with the Council. Registration assesses both academic qualifications and practical experience. The SCE offers distinct membership categories for expatriate engineers, including engineers whose visa carries an engineering profession and those whose visa does not. Memberships may be issued for one, two, or three years depending on the selected registration period. Fees are charged per year: SAR 250 annually for engineers and SAR 200 for technicians, on top of a one-time SAR 500 processing fee.
Registration grades track verified experience. An associate engineer needs at least four years. A professional engineer needs several more. A consultant engineer needs the most. Engineers may also sit professional exams through the SCE. The Council runs these in cooperation with the U.S.-based NCEES and with Qiyas. The NCEES route covers exams such as Fundamentals of Engineering and Principles and Practice of Engineering.
One detail deserves attention. The SCE issues the membership card and certificate only after it verifies the submitted credentials with the issuing institution. The Council notes that this check may take up to three months. The SCE accreditation page holds the full details.
Healthcare workers: the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS)
Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and allied health professionals need an SCFHS registration to practice legally. SCFHS manages this through its unified Mumaris Plus platform. As noted above, healthcare credential verification currently runs through SCFHS rather than the QVP platform, though MHRSD has indicated this may change.
The journey runs in two stages, and applicants often confuse them. The first stage is professional classification. It reviews your qualifications and experience, assigns a professional tier such as general practitioner, specialist, or consultant, and grants exam eligibility. The second stage is registration, the active license, which requires a valid Iqama. SCFHS authenticates credentials through primary source verification, known as DataFlow, before it grants classification. Depending on the profession and tier, applicants may also sit a Prometric written exam or an oral and clinical assessment. SCFHS also accredits the training programs that host postgraduate trainees. That is a separate institutional process, documented on its program accreditation page.
Accountants and auditors: the Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants (SOCPA)
Accountants and finance professionals answer to SOCPA. The body was established in 1992 and operates under the Ministry of Commerce. It is also a member of the International Federation of Accountants. For expatriates, registration is not optional. Since August 31, 2019, MHRSD has tied work-license issuance and renewal to SOCPA registration through direct electronic linkage between the two bodies. In practice, an employer cannot issue or renew an accountant’s work permit until the worker holds active SOCPA membership and professional registration. The same rule applies when changing an existing worker’s profession to an accounting or finance role.
SOCPA recognizes two broad membership levels. A non-practicing membership follows the SOCPA Fellowship examination. A practicing membership follows a separate request for registration and a license to practice. The Fellowship exam is the main gate to practice. It tests five subjects: accounting, auditing, Zakat and tax, jurisprudence of transactions, and commercial law. SOCPA holds it at least twice a year. Apply through the SOCPA portal, and confirm current fees and processing times there before you budget.
Valuers: the Saudi Organization for Certified Valuers (TAQEEM)
TAQEEM licenses professionals who perform real estate, machinery, vehicle, and business valuations. With the volume of megaproject-related asset valuation in the Kingdom, this licensing gate applies to a growing number of roles. TAQEEM registration requires passing its professional examinations and meeting experience thresholds. If you are hiring a valuer for a Saudi engagement, confirm whether TAQEEM certification is required for the specific valuation category before extending an offer.
Pharmaceutical and medical device roles: the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
Certain pharmaceutical, medical device, and food safety roles require SFDA registration or licensing, separate from SCFHS clinical registration. This applies particularly to regulatory affairs professionals, quality assurance specialists, and pharmacovigilance officers working on the commercial and manufacturing side rather than in clinical practice. Requirements vary by role, so confirm with SFDA before committing to a timeline.
Other licensed professions: law, teaching, and translation
Several more professions sit behind their own licensing gate. Treat each as a separate step in the hiring timeline.
Legal work is the most restricted. Saudi lawyers hold a practice license from the Ministry of Justice and join the Saudi Bar Association. Foreign nationals cannot hold a full practice license. They may only register as non-Saudi legal consultants on a dedicated register at the Ministry of Justice. Non-GCC nationals generally need at least five years of licensed legal practice abroad to qualify. Registered consultants cannot plead before the courts.
Teachers need a professional teaching license. The Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) issues it, and candidates must pass its licensing examination. Schools and the Ministry of Education treat a passing result as a prerequisite, not a bonus.
Translators and translation offices fall under Ministry of Commerce licensing, alongside other regulated professional services. As with the other bodies, expect a qualification check and a separate application.
The takeaway for employers
Clearing the QVP or SVP step is necessary. For regulated professions, though, it is not sufficient. An engineer, clinician, accountant, valuer, lawyer, or teacher must also satisfy the relevant sector regulator before they can practice. Build that regulator’s timeline into your hiring schedule. The SCE credential check, for example, can take up to three months, and several bodies run their own examinations on fixed calendars.
What This Means for Employers
The program raises the floor on workforce quality. Map each open role to the correct track before you extend an offer. This avoids the most common failure mode: an offer that expires while the worker waits on the wrong verification path. Our global workforce solutions show how this fits the broader hiring process. A verified or examined workforce also lowers on-site risk, especially in the trades, where safety standards face a direct test.
For expatriate workers, the shift is just as clear. Accreditation is no longer an optional credential. It is now a mandatory step to secure or renew a work visa in covered professions. Verified competence also strengthens a worker’s bargaining position in a market that increasingly rewards merit. Our global mobility and immigration services support both candidates and employers through each track.
A Benchmark for Workforce Verification
Saudi Arabia has built one of the region’s most comprehensive workforce-verification frameworks. It integrates international examination centers with domestic systems. It also aligns every role to the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations. Vision 2030 megaprojects such as NEOM, the Red Sea Project, and Diriyah Gate need millions of skilled workers. The Professional Accreditation Program acts as the quality gate at the front door of that pipeline.
The Professional Accreditation Program is not a single step. It is a two-track system. One track verifies credentials for licensed professionals. The other examines skills for technical trades. Behind the verification track sit the sector regulators, each with its own license to clear. Know which track applies. Track the current portals. For any organization hiring into the Kingdom, this is now a practical requirement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between QVP and SVP?
QVP (Qualification Verification Program) verifies academic credentials, work experience, and professional certifications for white-collar and licensed professions in Groups 1 to 3 of the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations. SVP (Skills Verification Program) tests practical competence through theoretical and hands-on exams for technical trades such as electricians, plumbers, welders, and mechanics. QVP checks documents. SVP tests the person. An employer needs to know which track applies to each role before starting the visa process, because applying through the wrong one wastes time and money.
How long does QVP verification take?
The QVP platform states 21 days from submission, excluding official holidays. The Saudi Press Agency describes the process as taking no more than 15 days. In practice, timing depends on how quickly the issuing university or institution responds to the verification request. Plan for 15 to 21 days, and allow more if the issuing institution is in a country with limited digital infrastructure or during academic holiday periods.
Does the SVP certificate expire?
Yes. The SVP certificate is valid for five years from the date of issue. After five years, the worker must retake the exam to renew certification. The QVP certificate, by contrast, does not have a stated expiry according to the platform FAQ, though this should be confirmed on the QVP portal before relying on it for long-term workforce planning.
Do healthcare professionals need QVP verification?
Not currently. As of mid-2026, healthcare professions are not processed through the QVP platform. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and allied health professionals have their credentials verified through the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) via its Mumaris Plus platform and DataFlow primary source verification. MHRSD has indicated that healthcare may be brought into QVP in the future, but for now, SCFHS is the gate.
What happens if QVP returns “unable to verify”?
The applicant can re-submit the verification request once without paying again. If the re-submission also fails, the applicant may appeal within 5 days of receiving the result. Only one appeal is permitted. Common reasons for an “unable to verify” result include unresponsive issuing institutions, documents that do not match the institution’s records, or missing supporting documentation. For healthcare roles, an “unable to verify” result may mean the application was submitted through QVP when it should have gone through SCFHS instead.
Does an employer need to clear both QVP and a sector regulator?
For many regulated professions, yes. QVP confirms that the worker’s qualifications are genuine and aligned with the occupation. The sector regulator, such as the Saudi Council of Engineers, SCFHS, or SOCPA, then confirms the worker is licensed to practice that specific profession in the Kingdom. These are separate processes with separate timelines. An engineer who clears QVP still cannot practice until SCE issues a membership, and the SCE credential check alone can take up to three months. Build both timelines into your hiring schedule.
Which professions require only QVP or SVP, with no separate regulator?
Many mid-level professional roles require only QVP verification to proceed with the work visa, with no additional sector-regulator license. Examples include certain IT, administrative, marketing, and general management positions that fall within Groups 1 to 3 of the SSCO but are not governed by a dedicated licensing body. Similarly, most trades covered by the SVP require only the SVP exam result. The safest approach is to check the SSCO classification for each role and confirm whether a sector regulator applies before committing to a hiring timeline.
Want to learn more about workforce mobility and accreditation support for Saudi Arabia? Write to us.
Figures and procedural details draw on the Saudi Press Agency, MHRSD, the Saudi Council of Engineers, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties, SOCPA, the Ministry of Justice, ETEC, the PACC portal, the QVP platform, and regional outlets including Arab News, Arabian Business, and Gulf News. We date figures where program data has changed. Fees, timelines, and portal URLs change without notice. Verify current figures against official government sources before you rely on them for compliance decisions.
