5 Steps to Onboard General Manager Saudi Arabia (2026)

Appointing a General Manager (GM) in Saudi Arabia isn’t just a hiring decision it’s a critical compliance milestone that activates your entire business ecosystem. In the Kingdom, the GM is legally named on the Commercial Registration (CR) and authorised to represent the company before ministries, banks, and regulatory portals.

This means your GM appointment affects everything from banking and payroll to visa sponsorship, WPS submissions, and ZATCA compliance. A single misstep such as a CR update delay or mismatched contract data  can freeze operations and invite regulatory penalties.

This 2026 guide breaks down five essential steps every investor, CEO, or HR leader should follow to onboard their General Manager smoothly and compliantly. You’ll learn how to align your corporate governance, digital platforms, and payroll systems to keep your business fully operational and audit-ready from Day 1.

Pre-Onboarding Preparation: Setting the Stage for Success

Effective onboarding in Saudi Arabia starts well before your new general manager’s first day. Employers must lay a solid foundation by understanding and fulfilling all legal requirements for onboarding, especially when hiring expatriates. This means securing work visas and residency permits (Iqama) through close coordination with government entities such as the Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD). The process involves obtaining the necessary work permits and ensuring all documentation, passports, employment contracts, academic certificates, and supporting records, is complete and accurate to ensure compliance with Saudi labor laws.

Establishing your company’s commercial registration and obtaining a national address are essential early steps that streamline the onboarding process and facilitate interactions with ministries and service providers. Employers should also prepare for the registration and documentation process by leveraging professional services, such as TASC, to navigate regulatory complexities and ensure compliance at every stage. By proactively securing all required documents and permits, employers can accelerate onboarding, reduce risk, and set their new general manager up for success from day one.

1) Pass the Resolution & Update the Commercial Registration

What Saudi shows: Authority flows from filings. If the GM and their powers (representation, litigation, banking) aren’t explicit on the CR, the ecosystem won’t move, banks won’t activate mandates, and ministries won’t accept signatures. In Saudi Arabia, there is a clear distinction between directors and general managers: directors are responsible for overall corporate governance and strategic oversight, while general managers handle day-to-day operations and have authority as specified in the CR.

What to do next:

• Approve a board/shareholder resolution naming the GM and specifying powers.
• Use the Ministry of Commerce’s e-service (via the Saudi Business Center) to amend the CR and reflect the GM.
• Check Chamber of Commerce subscription and National Address are current; many banks/portals cross-check these.
• Ensure the establishment's details are up to date in all relevant government records to maintain compliance and access to government services.

Why it matters: CR certainty unlocks everything that follows, banking, payroll, and government interactions. Proper CR updates are also essential for the issuance and renewal of business licenses.

2) Work Authorisation (If Expat) & Day-One Health Insurance

What Saudi shows: For expatriate GMs, visa → medicals → Iqama is the path, but insurance must be active from Day 1, including probation. Many bottlenecks trace back to missing or mis-timed insurance.

What to do next:

• Initiate entry/work visa and complete medicals; prepare Absher Business/Muqeem steps for Iqama.
• Apply for and secure the work permit as part of the legal onboarding process to ensure compliance with Saudi labor laws.
• Activate private health insurance for the GM (and eligible dependents) before Day 1. 
• Assemble a document pack: passport copies, photos, degree/experience (if required), signed contract, policy card, and profession code.

Why it matters: Insurance is both a welfare and a systems dependency, without it, immigration and some payroll tasks can’t proceed.

3) Digital Qiwa Contract (Unified Model) & Probation Controls

What Saudi shows: Employment contracts are issued and authenticated on Qiwa. The Unified Employment Contract (2025 rollout) standardizes terms, strengthens wage transparency, and aligns with WPS data.

What to do next:

• Ensure the recruitment process is fully documented and compliant with Saudi regulations before issuing contracts.
• Issue the GM’s Qiwa contract using the latest model; verify salary, allowances, and bank IBAN align with payroll plans.
• Complete any required declaration on the Mudad platform to confirm wage and settlement data before proceeding.
• Set probation correctly: 90 days by default, extendable to a maximum of 180

Why it matters: Clean contracts reduce disputes, pass WPS validations, and simplify audits.

4) Activate Payroll: GOSI + WPS/Mudad (with Reconciliation)

What Saudi shows: Payroll readiness is a compliance program, not a button. GOSI registration must occur on time; WPS via Mudad requires exact data parity with the Qiwa contract and the bank’s active IBAN. Different establishments may have varying compliance requirements and thresholds under the Wage Protection System.

What to do next:

• Register the GM in GOSI and calendar the 15th-of-next-month notification/payment deadline.
• Configure Mudad (or your payroll system’s WPS connector) and conduct a dry-run file to catch errors before the first cycle.
• Reconcile Qiwa → Mudad → Bank: name/order, salary components, allowances, and payment dates must match.

Why it matters: WPS violations (late/wrong amounts) trigger alerts, inspections, and potential service suspension, avoid by reconciling early. Compliant establishments benefit from uninterrupted access to government services and reduced risk of penalties.

5) Bank Signatories & Role-Based Portal Access

What Saudi shows: Bank account opening and signatory activation follow SAMA rules and rely on perfect consistency across resolution, CR, IDs, and forms. Meanwhile, productivity lives in portals, without a permission map, teams stall. It is also essential for the GM to oversee company finances to ensure smooth operations and support strategic goals.

What to do next:

• Submit a bank mandate package that mirrors the CR resolution (exact names, IDs, powers). Expect KYC interviews and specimen signatures.
• Build a Portal Permissions Matrix for:
• Qiwa (contracts, workforce services)
• GOSI (enrolments, contributions)
• ZATCA (VAT/e-invoicing/Fatoorah)
• Absher/Muqeem (expat services)
• Apply least-privilege access and store evidence packs (screenshots, approvals) for audits.
• Monitor ongoing digital initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and compliance in Saudi Arabia.

Why it matters: Correct mandates prevent payroll blocks and vendor payment delays. Good access control limits fraud and rework.

Partner with TASC for Hassle-Free GM Onboarding in Saudi Arabia

Deliver your GM onboarding with confidence. TASC coordinates legal, HR, and finance streams so you’re compliant and operational fast.

What we handle end-to-end:

• CR amendment & governance: Resolutions, powers wording, CR updates, Chamber checks.
• Contracts & immigration: Qiwa digital contracts, probation clauses, Day-1 insurance, visas/Iqama via Absher/Muqeem.
• Payroll readiness: GOSI registration, Mudad/WPS setup, first-cycle reconciliation, evidence packs.
• Banking & portals: Bank mandates/KYC support, role-based access for Qiwa/GOSI/ZATCA with least-privilege control.
• Compliance ops: Saudisation monitoring, SOPs, and inspection-ready documentation.

contact us today and let us help you with your GRO onboarding 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on GM Onboarding in Saudi Arabia

1. Why is the General Manager’s name required on the Commercial Registration (CR)?

In Saudi Arabia, the GM is the legal face of the company. Their name and powers must appear on the Commercial Registration (CR) to authorise them to represent the business before ministries, banks, and government platforms. Without this update, key actions such as bank account activation, payroll setup, or WPS submissions cannot proceed.

2. How long does it take to onboard a General Manager in Saudi Arabia?

Typically, GM onboarding takes 2 to 6 weeks, depending on whether the appointee is a Saudi national or expatriate. Expat GMs require additional time for visa processing, medicals, Iqama issuance, and insurance activation. Early alignment of the CR, Qiwa contract, and GOSI registration significantly reduces delays.

3. What documents are required to appoint a General Manager?

The standard documentation includes:

• A board or shareholder resolution naming the GM and defining their powers
• A copy of the GM’s passport and residence permit (if applicable)
• The updated Commercial Registration reflecting their appointment
• A digitally authenticated employment contract on Qiwa
• Health insurance certificate, GOSI registration, and bank details (IBAN)

All documents must match exactly across portals to ensure approval.

4. Can a company operate in Saudi Arabia before appointing a GM?

No. The GM must be appointed and recorded on the CR before banks, ministries, and digital platforms recognise the entity as operational. Without a registered GM, the company cannot open bank accounts, sponsor employees, or execute payroll through Mudad.

5. What are the most common mistakes companies make during GM onboarding?

Frequent errors include:

• Updating the CR after initiating bank KYC or WPS setup
• Issuing Qiwa contracts before CR confirmation
• Missing GOSI’s 15th-of-next-month registration deadline
• Delaying Day-1 health insurance activation for expats
• Assigning portal access too late, leading to workflow bottlenecks

Each of these can trigger compliance flags or operational freezes.

6. Does the GM need to be physically present in Saudi Arabia?

Yes. For expatriate GMs, physical presence is required for Iqama biometrics, banking KYC, and digital signature activation on official portals. Local GMs must also complete identity verification steps to access Qiwa, GOSI, and ZATCA accounts.

7. How is the GM’s employment contract handled in Qiwa?

All GM contracts must be issued and authenticated through Qiwa, following the Unified Employment Contract model introduced in 2025. This ensures legal validity, wage transparency, and alignment with the Wage Protection System (WPS). Any variance between the contract and Mudad payroll data can result in compliance alerts.

8. What happens if GOSI registration or WPS submission is delayed?

Missing deadlines may lead to financial penalties, WPS violations, or temporary suspension of services across government portals. Registering the GM in GOSI within 30 days and ensuring Mudad/WPS files match the Qiwa contract data prevents these issues.

9. What are the insurance requirements for expatriate GMs?

Private health insurance is mandatory from Day 1, even during probation. The insurance policy must be linked to the Iqama in the Council of Health Insurance (CHI) system, without which the Iqama cannot be issued or renewed.

10. How can TASC help with GM onboarding and compliance?

TASC simplifies the process by managing every step from CR amendments and visa processing to Qiwa contracts, payroll setup, and bank mandates. With over 18 years of compliance experience and an on-ground GRO/PRO team in KSA, TASC ensures your GM is onboarded swiftly, legally, and ready to operate from Day 1.