HR & Compliance Glossary

    Clear definitions of the most important HR and government compliance terms in the region.

    Employer of Record (EOR)

    A service that lets a company hire employees in a country without setting up its own legal entity. Emboard acts as the legal employer of record.

    Iqama

    Saudi residency and work permit for foreign nationals, issued and renewed through the Muqeem portal.

    Nitaqat

    Saudi Arabia's Saudization classification system from the Ministry of Human Resources, banding companies by share of Saudi national employees.

    Wage Protection System (WPS)

    Mandatory salary payment system ensuring on-time wage transfers through approved banking channels, administered via Mudad.

    GOSI

    General Organization for Social Insurance — administers Saudi pension and occupational hazard contributions.

    Qiwa

    Saudi Ministry of Human Resources platform for labor contracts, work visas, and labor market services.

    Mudad

    Saudi government platform for payroll processing and Wage Protection System compliance.

    Muqeem

    Saudi General Directorate of Passports platform for managing expatriate residency records.

    HRSD

    Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development — regulator of the Saudi labor market.

    MISA

    Saudi Ministry of Investment — authority issuing foreign investment licenses to companies entering the Saudi market.

    MOHRE

    UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — regulator of the UAE labor market.

    Saudization

    Government policy requiring private-sector companies to employ a minimum share of Saudi nationals.