Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance denies imposing fees on foreign worker remittances

The Ministry of Finance said reports of a remittance fee were 'baseless'. (Shutterstock)
Updated 04 September 2018
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Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance denies imposing fees on foreign worker remittances

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance denied on Monday reports that it was planning to impose fees on the remittances of foreign workers.

The ministry said it was committed to supporting the free movement of capital through official channels in accordance with international standards and practices.

The statement was issued in response to “baseless and unfounded reports” by some media outlets. 

The Kingdom is home to more than 10 million foreign workers who in 2017 sent almost $38 billion to their home countries. 

The ministry said keeping the remittances free of fees “will also enhance foreign investors’ confidence in the Kingdom’s economy and financial systems.”

The ministry said it had already denied rumors of charging expats for their remittances in January 2017.


Saudi environmental compliance sector unveils opportunities worth over $8bn

Updated 25 February 2026
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Saudi environmental compliance sector unveils opportunities worth over $8bn

RIYADH: The Invest Saudi platform offers specialized opportunities with expected revenues exceeding SR30 billion ($8 billion), according to the National Center for Environmental Compliance.

In a statement, the center invited local and international investors to seize the listed opportunities and benefit from various incentives, ranging from administrative support to direct financing.

Saad Al-Zubaidi, executive director of business development, explained that this market size reflects the specialized nature of the environmental compliance sector as a supporting sector for all economic activities. 

Sectors such as industry, energy, mining, construction, services, and infrastructure rely on it to comply with environmental regulations and enhance operational efficiency.

Incentive and financing packages

The center, in integration with various government entities, is working on developing comprehensive incentive packages for investors in the field.

These packages include direct financing tools, soft loans, and guarantee programs, in addition to regulatory and procedural enablers aimed at accelerating the investment cycle and reducing operational risks.

The payback period for investments starts from 4 years and does not exceed 7 years at most, according to the center.

The current market size stands at SR14 billion, according to Al-Zubaidi, who expects it to double within 5 years.

The market diversifies across fields including the manufacturing of pollution control systems, the manufacturing of air and water quality monitoring devices, soil and groundwater rehabilitation, and building specialized technical capacities in the environmental field.

Trend toward localizing environmental technologies

Al-Zubaidi confirmed that the announced opportunities have had their preliminary studies completed and are available for investors to review their details and to complete technical and financial feasibility studies according to various business models.

The focus is not limited to maximizing economic return but extends to localizing environmental technologies, transferring knowledge, and building local value chains capable of meeting the growing demand across various sectors.