Immigration & Government Relations and HR Specialist

About the Role

DePuy Synthes is seeking an Immigration & Government Relations and HR Specialist to join their team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This full-time role is responsible for managing immigration processes, foreign workforce administration, and government compliance activities, ensuring adherence to Saudi labor and immigration regulations. The specialist will also provide HR support across various functions, including talent management, employee engagement, Saudization, HR operations, and change initiatives, working closely with business leaders and stakeholders.

Immigration & Government Relations Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end immigration processes, including work permits, Iqamas, and sponsorship transfers for foreign employees.
• Ensure compliant employment contracts and continuous work authorization for foreign employees.
• Coordinate with government authorities on immigration approvals, renewals, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage the immigration process for foreign hires recruited from outside Saudi Arabia, including work visa applications and alignment of visa categories.
• Prepare employment contracts and obtain required attestations from the Chamber of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Process electronic authorizations and supporting documentation for overseas recruitment.
• Manage sponsorship transfer (Kafala transfer) processes and submit requests through relevant government systems.
• Manage government HR and immigration platforms (*, QIWA, GOSI, MHRSD systems) and ensure compliance with workforce, immigration, and licensing requirements.
• Process and issue exit, re-entry, and related travel permits, monitoring validity of travel permissions and immigration documents.
• Coordinate attestation and legalization of employment and immigration-related documents.
• Support the renewal and maintenance of government registrations and licenses impacting foreign workforce sponsorship and immigration eligibility.
• Monitor changes in Saudi immigration and labor regulations and assess their impact on company operations.

HR Specialist Responsibilities

• Support the HR Lead in delivering the people agenda for Saudi Arabia, aligning with business priorities and HR practices.
• Provide practical HR guidance to managers and employees on routine matters, escalating complex cases as appropriate.
• Support key employee lifecycle processes, including onboarding, job changes, documentation, exits, and employee data updates.
• Assist with HR reporting, audit readiness, employee documentation, and data quality across HR systems and local records.
• Coordinate with payroll, benefits, medical insurance, and government relations to ensure a positive employee experience.
• Apply HR policies consistently, ensuring alignment with Saudi labor law, internal compliance standards, and company values.
• Support the monitoring and follow-up of Saudization priorities, including workforce data and compliance reporting.
• Manage end-to-end support for employee relations matters, including complete exit management for voluntary and involuntary terminations.
• Guide the resolution of complex employee relations matters, such as grievances, investigations, and disciplinary issues.

Key Deliverables

• Manage work permits, visas, residency permits, and sponsorship transfers.
• Ensure compliance with Saudi immigration, labor, and government regulations.
• Process exit/re-entry visas and travel authorizations in a timely manner.
• Maintain company eligibility to sponsor foreign workers.
• Provide day-to-day HR support across key people processes.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders and external authorities.
• Demonstrate strong execution, organization, and attention to detail.
• Support Saudization, employee experience, and business priorities.
• Proactively identify and resolve risks, issues, and opportunities.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Saudi national, based in Riyadh.
• 2-5 years of relevant experience.
• Fluency in both Arabic and English.

Work Type

This is a full-time position located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Salary for this role will be discussed during the interview process.