Can you accept a new Qiwa job offer while your current Saudi contract is still active? Learn what happens to your notice period, transfer request, and current employer.
Qiwa job offer while current contract active
Kabayan, may bagong company na bang nag-offer sa iyo sa Qiwa pero active pa ang current employment contract mo? Maraming OFWs ang natatakot pindutin ang “Accept” dahil baka isipin nila na kailangan munang ma-terminate ang existing contract bago sila maaaring tumanggap ng offer mula sa bagong employer.
The important distinction is this:
Yes, an eligible Qiwa-covered expatriate worker can receive and accept a job mobility offer while the current employment contract is still active. Accepting the offer, however, does not normally mean that the worker can immediately stop working for the current employer or immediately start working for the new employer.
Under the official job mobility process, accepting the offer can initiate the transfer process, notify the current employer, and start the applicable notice period. The actual transfer is completed after the relevant process and notice period are satisfied.
This guide applies primarily to expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia's private sector who fall under Qiwa and the Saudi Labor Law. Domestic workers generally follow a different framework through Musaned.
Receiving a Qiwa Job Offer Does Not Automatically End Your Current Contract
This is one of the most important things to understand.
A new employer may initiate an employee-transfer request through Qiwa and create the employment offer or contract associated with that transfer.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's current Employee Transfer service states that the new establishment selects the employee-transfer service, identifies the worker, and adds an employment contract for the worker. The individual can then review the transfer request and approve or reject it. (HRSD)
Therefore, these are separate stages:
Receiving an offer → the new employer has initiated a potential employment relationship.
Accepting the offer/transfer request → you agree to proceed with the Qiwa mobility process.
Notice period → when applicable, your existing employment relationship continues during this period.
Completion of transfer → your services are transferred after Qiwa's applicable requirements are completed.
Starting work for the new employer → this should take place when your employment and transfer status legally allows you to work under the new establishment.
- “How Notice Period Works in Qiwa” → your existing Notice Period guide.
Do not interpret an accepted offer as permission to simply stop reporting to your present employer.
What Happens When You Accept the New Offer?
The official HRSD Job Mobility User Guide explains the sequence clearly.
The new employer first creates the job offer through Qiwa. The expatriate worker receives notification and logs into Qiwa Individuals to review the request.
The employee then chooses whether to accept or reject the mobility request.
According to the official guide, when the employee accepts:
- The current establishment is electronically notified of the employee's job mobility request.
- The applicable notice period begins to be calculated.
- When that period ends, the job mobility procedure can be completed.
This is important because it means the official system itself contemplates a worker accepting a mobility offer while the existing employment relationship is still running.
You do not necessarily need your existing contract to show “Terminated” before you can even review or accept a valid Qiwa mobility request.
Does Your Current Employer Have to Approve the Transfer?
There is no single answer that applies to every worker.
The transfer route depends on the worker's Qiwa eligibility, employment history, contract status and other conditions recognized by the system.
HRSD's Labor Reform Initiative states that an expatriate employee can move to another employer after the expiry of the binding employment contract without requiring the previous employer's consent.
It also states that mobility during the validity of a contract is regulated through specific conditions and controls, including compliance with the applicable notice period. (HRSD)
Therefore, avoid assuming either of these extremes:
“My employer must approve every transfer.”
or
“My employer's approval can never be required.”
Both can be misleading without checking the worker's exact situation.
What If You Are Still Within Your First Year in Saudi Arabia?
This is an important exception.
The official Job Mobility User Guide lists completion of 12 months with the current employer after the worker's first entry into the Kingdom among the standard mobility conditions.
The same official guide's FAQ states that job mobility during the expatriate worker's first year following first entry into Saudi Arabia is possible when the current establishment agrees.
So if you are a newly recruited worker who has not yet completed the applicable first-year period, do not assume that accepting an offer will automatically give you an employer-independent transfer.
Check the actual Qiwa request and its requirements.
Do You Need to Terminate Your Current Qiwa Contract First?
Not necessarily.
If the new employer is sending you an official Employee Transfer / Job Mobility request, the mobility process itself is designed to deal with your transition from the existing establishment to the new one.
HRSD's Contract Management information specifically explains that when a resident worker is currently registered with another establishment, the new employer must create an employee-transfer request. The worker can then approve the transfer request and associated contract through Qiwa's job mobility service. (HRSD)
That means workers should be careful about unnecessarily starting two different processes at the same time, such as:
- submitting an independent resignation/termination request; and
- accepting a separate employee-transfer request.
Those actions may represent different legal or contractual paths.
Before independently terminating your contract, identify what you are actually trying to accomplish:
Are you completing your fixed-term contract and transferring afterward?
Are you resigning before the contract ends?
Are you accepting a Qiwa mobility request during the contract?
Are you requesting termination upon contract expiry/non-renewal?
The correct path may differ.
For a deeper explanation of notice periods, see the PinoyTalks guide How Notice Period Works in Qiwa: Complete Guide for OFWs in Saudi Arabia.
When Does the Notice Period Start?
For the Job Mobility process described in the official HRSD guide, the notice period starts when the worker accepts the job offer and the current establishment is notified.
It does not simply start when:
- you receive a verbal offer;
- HR from the new company calls you;
- you submit your CV;
- you sign an unofficial offer letter outside Qiwa; or
- you tell your supervisor that you want to leave.
The official Qiwa mobility event matters.
This is why workers should keep screenshots or records showing:
- the transfer request;
- acceptance date;
- Qiwa notice-period status;
- expected end date; and
- any Qiwa notification related to the transfer.
What If Your Remaining Contract Is Shorter Than the Notice Period?
This can happen.
Imagine:
Your contract ends in 30 days, but the agreed notice period is 60 days.
According to the FAQ in HRSD's Job Mobility User Guide, when the remaining duration of the contract is shorter than the agreed notice period, the shorter remaining period is calculated.
This is particularly relevant for OFWs who already have a new employer lined up near their fixed-term contract expiration date.
If your existing contract contains an automatic-renewal provision, however, review the renewal and non-renewal requirements carefully.
PinoyTalks also has a separate guide on Automatic Renewal of Contract in Qiwa.
Can the Current Employer Shorten the Qiwa Notice Period?
The official HRSD guide provides a procedure allowing the current establishment to reduce the notice period after receiving the mobility request.
The current employer can access received employee-transfer requests and modify the contractual relationship's end date according to the system's permitted process.
For example:
Your Qiwa mobility request shows a 60-day notice period.
Your present employer agrees to release you after 20 days.
If the applicable Qiwa functionality and conditions allow it, the current employer may reduce the notice period rather than requiring you to wait for the originally calculated date.
This is different from simply leaving work early without completing the required process.
Can You Start Working for the New Company Immediately After Accepting?
Do not assume so.
Acceptance of the offer and completion of the actual employee transfer are not necessarily the same event.
Until your transfer and employment status allow you to legally work under the new establishment, you should not treat the new Qiwa offer as authorization to begin working for that company.
The official transfer service exists precisely to move the expatriate worker's employment relationship from one establishment to another through the authorized system. (HRSD)
Check your Qiwa status before reporting for work under the new employer.
What If You Still Have Several Months Left on a Fixed-Term Contract?
This requires more caution.
Qiwa's job mobility framework permits mobility during an active employment relationship when the applicable conditions and notice requirements are met. But that does not mean a worker should ignore the terms and consequences of ending a fixed-term contract early. (HRSD)
There is an important difference between:
A. Transfer after completing the agreed fixed term
and
B. Ending the contractual relationship before its agreed expiry date.
If you intend to complete your contract, make sure the dates generated by the transfer process align with the contract end date.
If the proposed transfer would terminate the existing contractual relationship early, review your Qiwa contract—including its duration, termination provisions and other contractual obligations—before proceeding.
Do not rely only on a verbal statement such as:
“Okay lang yan, accept mo lang.”
The documented Qiwa contract and the actual Qiwa mobility status matter.
Example 1: Your Contract Ends Soon
Suppose your current contract ends on October 30, 2026.
A new employer sends a Qiwa mobility offer on September 15.
If you are eligible, you may be able to accept the offer while your existing contract remains active.
Qiwa then handles the applicable transition and notice process.
Your current contract does not have to disappear from Qiwa merely because a future employer has sent you an offer.
Example 2: You Still Have Eight Months Remaining
Suppose your contract expires in May 2027, but another company sends you an offer in September 2026.
Accepting the offer may initiate a mobility process if Qiwa considers you eligible.
However, because significant time remains on your existing contract, you should examine the contractual effect of leaving before expiry rather than assuming the offer automatically cancels all existing obligations.
Example 3: Your Employer Says “We Don't Give Release”
This statement by itself does not determine your Qiwa eligibility.
Saudi Arabia's Labor Reform Initiative established job mobility mechanisms for expatriate private-sector workers, including mobility after completion of the binding employment contract without requiring the existing employer's consent and regulated mobility during an active contract. (HRSD)
The relevant question is therefore not simply:
“Does my company allow transfer?”
The better questions are:
What is my current Qiwa contract status?
When does my binding contract end?
Is there a valid Employee Transfer Request in Qiwa?
What notice period does Qiwa show?
Am I eligible under the mobility requirements?
PinoyTalks has also discussed cases involving employers who say they will not allow local transfer. (pinoytalks.com)
What Should You Check Before Pressing “Accept”?
Before accepting a Qiwa offer, review these carefully:
- New employer's legal name
- Job title
- Basic salary
- Allowances
- Work location
- Contract duration
- Probation period
- Working hours
- Notice period
- Contract start date
- Any additional contractual clauses
- Your current contract's expiry date and renewal terms
HRSD states that employees can approve, reject or request amendment of employment contracts through Qiwa, and a contract becomes documented after the parties approve it. (HRSD)
Do not accept merely because the new employer says the details can be corrected later.
Quick Answer: Can I Accept It or Not?
For a Qiwa-covered private-sector expatriate worker:
Yes, you may be able to accept a new Qiwa job mobility offer even while your current contract is still active.
The official mobility process itself provides for the worker to accept the offer, after which the current employer is notified and the applicable notice period begins.
But remember:
Accepting the offer ≠ immediate transfer.
Accepting the offer ≠ permission to immediately leave your current job.
Accepting the offer ≠ automatic cancellation of your contractual obligations.
Your actual transfer depends on your eligibility, contract status, applicable notice period and Qiwa's processing of the mobility request.
What If Qiwa Shows Something Different?
Qiwa cases are highly status-dependent.
Two workers with apparently similar contracts may see different options because of factors such as:
- first-entry period;
- contract status;
- notice period;
- work permit or Iqama status;
- pending transfer requests;
- establishment eligibility; or
- other conditions recognized by the system.
If your Qiwa screen contradicts the expected process, verify the exact status rather than attempting multiple termination or transfer requests.
The current HRSD Employee Transfer service identifies 19911 as the Ministry's contact number. The official expatriate-services directory also lists Qiwa support through 920000105 and Qiwa's official support channels. (HRSD)
Conclusion
Kabayan, kung may dumating nang bagong Qiwa offer habang active pa ang current contract mo, hindi ibig sabihin na kailangan mo munang hintaying mawala ang current contract bago mo tingnan o tanggapin ang transfer offer. The Qiwa Job Mobility process is designed to manage the transition between the existing employer and the new employer, including notification and the applicable notice period.
The safest approach is to review the new contract carefully, check your current contract end date and notice requirements, and follow the status shown by Qiwa. Do not leave your current job or begin working for the new establishment simply because you pressed “Accept.”
Have a Qiwa situation that doesn't match the examples above? You can post the exact Qiwa status—without exposing your Iqama number, contract number or other personal information—in the PinoyTalks Ask the Community section so the case can be discussed based on the actual status shown on your account.
Official Sources
This article is primarily based on the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's current Qiwa Employee Transfer service, Contract Management service, Labor Reform Initiative, and official Job Mobility User Guide. (HRSD)
HRSD — Employee Transfer Service
HRSD — Contract Management
HRSD — Labor Reform Initiative
Disclaimer: This article provides general information based on official Saudi sources available at the time of publication. Individual Qiwa cases can differ according to contract terms, worker eligibility and system status. It should not be treated as individualized legal advice.
Updated: September 2026
