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News developments
Al Riyadh, 26 April 2026: The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) has released the Risk Management Guide and Advisory Package for 2026, establishing a regulatory framework to strengthen compliance and operational resilience in the defence sector, aligned with Vision 2030 localisation targets.
The guide provides a comprehensive framework for military industry entities to identify, analyse, evaluate, and monitor risks, ensuring operational efficiency and strategic alignment. It is designed to support companies in implementing structured risk management systems that enhance decision‑making and compliance with national defence policies.
Prepared in accordance with international standards — including ISO 31000, COSO, and the UK Institute of Risk Management guidelines — as well as the National Risk and Emergency Management Framework and Digital Government Authority requirements, the guide reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to embedding global best practices into its regulatory environment.
GAMI emphasised that the initiative aims to raise awareness of risk management principles, establish mechanisms for designing and implementing risk frameworks, and strengthen proactive monitoring of threats. The guide also supports the Kingdom’s strategic objective of localising over 50% of military spending by 2030, ensuring a sustainable and resilient domestic defence industry.
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News developments
Saudi Gazette, 20 April 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister has endorsed a new strategic plan for the Crime Research Center, aimed at strengthening research, analysis, and policy development to combat crime and enhance public security.
The Ministry of Interior announced that the Interior Minister approved a comprehensive strategic plan for the Crime Research Center. The initiative is designed to advance Saudi Arabia’s capacity in crime prevention, criminological research, and evidence‑based policymaking.
Key objectives of the plan include:
The Crime Research Center is expected to serve as a national hub for criminological studies, offering recommendations to policymakers and law enforcement agencies while ensuring that strategies remain consistent with international best practices.
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News developments
In this edition of Lexis Middle East HR Alert – March 2026, we highlight key legal developments, regulatory updates, and practical HR considerations shaping employment practices across the region. From evolving approaches to employment claims in the UAE to new health and safety frameworks in Saudi Arabia, this issue provides focused insights to help organisations remain compliant and prepared.
As workforce dynamics continue to shift and governments introduce new initiatives to support economic growth and workforce development, employers must balance opportunity with risk. Our contributors explore how to safeguard training investments, manage immigration changes, and respond to increasing litigation trends, offering clear and actionable guidance.
Stay up to date with Lexis Middle East HR Alert — your reliable source for HR and employment law developments across the Middle East.
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FEATURE: THE RIGHT TIME
Asim Ahmed and Ahmed Labib of BSA LAW analyse how recent legal changes and court rulings have impacted limitation periods for employment claims in the UAE.
TREND SETTER: TRAINING SUPPORT
Hashem Alahdal of BSA LAW outlines how employers can protect their investment in employee training amid growing government support initiatives.
NEWS ROUND-UP: COVERING RECENT KEY DEVELOPMENTS – REGION-WIDE
A concise overview of key HR and legal developments from across the region, including updates on Kuwait’s freelance work visa and other regulatory changes impacting employers.
IMMIGRATION FOCUS: RECENT GCC IMMIGRATION AND VISA CHANGES
Sponsored by Vialto Partners, this section reviews key regional updates, including Qatar’s self-sponsored visa developments.
IMMIGRATION FOCUS: PRE-PLANNING FOR HAJJ SEASON
Adel Moumen of Vialto Partners Middle East looks at two concurrent developments which are impacting short term business travel to Saudi.
LAW CHANGES: NEW AND PROPOSED MENA LAWS
Dr. Sairah Narmah-Alqasim of Pinsent Masons reviews Saudi Arabia’s new national health and safety framework under Ministerial Decision No. 64762/1447.
MOVES AND CHANGES
A regional overview of the latest executive movements, leadership appointments, and HR leadership changes across key industries.
Enrich your understanding of the HR landscape and stay up-to-date with the latest trends, cases, and policies through the latest issue of Lexis Middle East – HR Alert.
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HR PROFILE: A CHANGE IN APPROACH
Natalie Jones of Mishcon de Reya shares insights on employers’ growing willingness to pursue litigation and its impact on HR strategy.
POLICY POINTERS: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Bassem Ehab of Habib Al Mulla and Partners provides practical guidance on managing conflicts of interest in the workplace.
News developments
Saudi Gazette, 8 April 2026: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has commenced the second phase of making notarised employment contracts legally enforceable, expanding direct wage enforcement rights for workers under fixed-term agreements.
The initiative had been introduced after labour authorities had identified persistent delays and inefficiencies in resolving wage disputes through traditional court procedures. Previously, employees were required to pursue lengthy administrative and judicial routes to claim unpaid salaries.
In the second phase, fixed-term contracts are now eligible to be treated as enforceable documents once updated or renewed. Employers and employees must notarise or update relevant contracts via the Qiwa platform and obtain an enforcement number from the Ministry of Justice’s Documentation Center.
If an employee has not received full wages within 30 days of the due date, or only partial wages after 90 days, they can file an enforcement request through the Najiz platform. The employer then has five days to raise an objection before enforcement action begins. This avoids traditional court filings and accelerates recovery of due wages.
Background: the first phase, launched in October 2025, already allowed newly notarised contracts to be directly enforceable. The third phase will extend the regime to open-ended contracts, completing the rollout.
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Publications
The March/April 2026 edition of Lexis Middle East Law Alert provides a comprehensive snapshot of key legal, regulatory, and commercial developments across the GCC. It combines expert-led feature articles with practical updates on evolving laws, offering in-house counsel, legal practitioners, and business leaders insight into how recent legislative changes impact contracts, compliance, digital regulation, real estate, and taxation. The publication particularly highlights the UAE’s new Civil Code, Qatar’s evolving e-commerce framework, and emerging technology regulations shaping the region.
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FEATURE: A NEW CODE: CONTRACT CONCERNS
An in-depth analysis of the newly issued UAE Civil Code, focusing on how it reshapes contractual priorities. The authors explore risk allocation, enforceability, and key considerations businesses should reassess when drafting and negotiating contracts.
FEATURE: ONLINE ONLY APPROACH
A detailed look at Qatar Ministerial Decision No. 25/2026, outlining licensing requirements for businesses operating exclusively online. This section clarifies compliance obligations for digital-first companies without physical premises.
IN-HOUSE PROFILE: ALL THE RIGHT MOVES
A profile of Daniela Bartolo, General Counsel at Careem, exploring how rapid organisational growth has driven a reassessment of compliance approaches. The piece highlights how in-house legal teams are adapting frameworks, processes, and risk management strategies to keep pace with expansion.
IN-HOUSE PROFILE: PRACTITIONER PERSPECTIVE
A practitioner-led overview of recent legal developments relating to self-driving vehicles in Dubai, offering practical insights into the evolving regulatory landscape and the implications for implementation and compliance.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
A regional roundup of notable legal industry appointments and career moves, offering insight into talent trends and leadership shifts across the Middle East legal market.
CONTRACT WATCH: ARBITRATION CLAUSES
A practical guide by Antonia Birt, Partner at Reed Smith International, highlighting key lessons in drafting and enforcing arbitration clauses, with a focus on avoiding common pitfalls and strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms.
TAX AND FINANCE ROUND-UP
An overview of key fiscal and financial developments, including evolving treatment of R&D tax credits in the UAE. This section highlights regulatory shifts impacting corporate tax planning and financial strategy.
Explore the past editions of the Lexis® Middle East Law Alert and stay up-to-date with the latest news! Click the links below for instant access to older editions.
TECHNOLOGY MONITOR
Explores major developments in technology law across the GCC. Topics include proposed regulation of crypto-mining in ADGM and broader legal responses to emerging digital industries.
Digital Child Safety: A focused analysis of new UAE legislation introducing a dedicated digital child safety framework—among the first in the region—addressing online protection measures and platform responsibilities.
LEGAL ROUND-UP
A summary of major legal developments across the region, including updates such as new shared housing rules in Dubai. Designed to give readers a quick but meaningful understanding of recent legislative changes.
LAW MONITOR
A jurisdiction-wide tracker of significant legal updates in the GCC. It includes a featured analysis of Qatar’s Preliminary Real Estate Registry and its implications for off-plan property sales and investor protection.
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News developments
Saudi Gazette, 3 April 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority has approved a regulatory framework permitting the offering and listing of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) on the Nomu Parallel Market, expanding investment products and access to private companies.
The Capital Market Authority (CMA) announced that its board had approved a comprehensive framework regulating the registration, offering, and operation of SPACs in the Nomu Parallel Market, through amendments to key regulations, including:
The amendments will take effect upon publication.
The CMA stated that the framework is intended to diversify available investment instruments, encourage private‑sector listings, and enhance liquidity and capital formation in Nomu. It also provides investors with regulated access to non‑listed companies that were previously difficult to invest in directly, aligning with the Kingdom’s capital‑market development objectives.
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News developments
2 April 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority (TGA) has extended key road‑transport compliance deadlines to August 2026 to allow operators additional time to meet regulatory requirements.
The decision applies to establishments involved in heavy and light freight activities and forms part of regulatory changes which aim at raising compliance levels and enhance operational efficiency across the sector.
The extension will allow companies additional time to complete rectification procedures and align with approved regulatory requirements. These include reclassifying vehicle registrations from private to public transport for heavy‑goods activities and improving fleet utilisation within the authorised regulatory framework.
In parallel, the TGA has also extended the deadline for drivers to obtain a professional driver card, giving drivers more time to complete required documentation and meet regulatory conditions.
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News developments
4 April 2026: Expired visit visa holders will be allowed to leave Saudi without paying overstay fines, provided they exit before 18 April 2026, following temporary relief measures issued by the Ministry of Interior.
Saudi authorities have announced a grace period for visitors whose visit visas expired on or after 25 February 2026, allowing them to depart Saudi without paying fines or penalties if they leave before 18 April 2026. The measure was introduced in response to regional travel disruptions that prevented many visitors from exiting on time.
The relief applies to visit visas, Umrah visas, transit visas, and final exit permits. Affected individuals may either exit Saudi Arabia directly through any international airport or border crossing without extending their visa or paying fees, or apply for a temporary extension through the Absher platform, subject to payment of the applicable government fees.
Saudi authorities have urged all eligible visa holders to act before the 18 April 2026 deadline, warning that standard overstay fines and legal consequences will apply once the grace period expires. The measure is described as temporary and exceptional, aimed at preventing penalties for overstays caused by circumstances beyond travellers’ control.
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News developments
6 April 2026: Saudi Arabia has removed the requirement for bank guarantees and metal transit plates for transit carriers, streamlining customs procedures to support trade flow and logistics efficiency.
Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has announced that transit transport activities may now be carried out without submitting a bank guarantee, as part of a broader effort to simplify customs procedures and increase operational flexibility during the current phase. The measure applies across land, sea, and air ports in the Kingdom and is intended to ensure uninterrupted cargo movement.
In addition, ZATCA confirmed that metal transit plates are no longer required for carriers transporting goods under the domestic transit system between air and sea ports. The removal of this requirement is designed to facilitate faster transfers between ports and reduce procedural burdens on logistics operators.
The changes aim to enhance the efficiency of supply chains, support the smooth flow of trade, and strengthen the resilience of customs services under varying regional and global conditions. The simplified framework should improve logistics flexibility while allowing Zatca to maintain operational oversight through existing electronic and regulatory controls.
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