Immigration & Government Relations Specialist, Orthopedics

Overview

Johnson & Johnson Med Tech seeks an Immigration & Government Relations Specialist in Orthopedics, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The role supports immigration, foreign workforce management, and government compliance to ensure full alignment with local regulations. The position is full-time and located in Saudi Arabia.

Immigration & Government Relations Specialist is responsible for managing all immigration, foreign workforce, and government compliance activities for the company in Saudi Arabia. The role ensures full compliance with Saudi immigration regulations, maintains valid work authorization for foreign employees, manages government platform requirements, and coordinates with relevant ministries and authorities to support the employment and mobility of foreign nationals.

• Manage the end-to-end immigration process for foreign employees working in Saudi Arabia.
• Arrange and maintain employment contracts for non-Saudi employees in compliance with local regulations.
• Obtain, renew, and monitor work permits and residency permits (Iqama) for foreign employees.
• Coordinate with relevant government authorities and ministries regarding immigration-related payments, renewals, and approvals.
• Ensure continuous work authorization for all sponsored foreign employees and proactively prevent gaps in legal work status.
• International Recruitment & Work Visa Processing:
  Manage the immigration process for foreign hires recruited from outside Saudi Arabia; coordinate work visa applications; align visa categories with employees’ educational qualifications and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare employment contracts and obtain required attestations from the Chamber of Commerce and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Process electronic authorizations and supporting documentation required for overseas recruitment.
• Liaise with government entities and external agencies to facilitate visa issuance and onboarding of foreign employees.
• Sponsorship Transfer Management:
  Manage sponsorship transfer / Kafala transfer processes; submit requests through relevant government systems; coordinate with employees, current sponsors, and government authorities to obtain approvals; monitor cases through completion and ensure fees and regulatory requirements are fulfilled.
• Government Platforms & Regulatory Compliance:
  Serve as administrator and key point of contact for labour and immigration-related government platforms (including QIWA) where immigration coordination is required; ensure compliance with governmental requirements impacting workforce eligibility, sponsorship, and company licensing status; complete mandatory submissions, updates, and reporting.
• Employee Mobility & Travel Authorization:
  Process and issue exit, re-entry, and related travel permits; monitor validity of travel permissions and immigration documents; provide immigration guidance regarding travel and work authorization requirements.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Saudi national (mandatory) in line with local Saudization requirements.
• Fluent in both Arabic and English (written and spoken).
• Previous experience in Immigration and Government Relations within Saudi Arabia, with a strong understanding of local immigration processes, government regulations, and workforce compliance requirements.
• Hands-on experience with Saudi government platforms, including QIWA and GOSI.
• Proven experience managing immigration processes for expatriate employees, including: business visa issuance, work visa processing, exit and re-entry visas, work permit and residency permit (Iqama) renewals, and renewal of company registrations and documentation with relevant authorities (e.g., Ministry of Commerce).
• Experience working in a multinational organization and collaborating across diverse cultures and stakeholders.

For candidates applying to the Saudi Arabia location, this role is open to Saudi nationals only, in line with local Saudization requirements. Johnson & Johnson intends to separate its Orthopaedics business to form a standalone company (DePuy Synthes); following completion of the transaction, employment would be governed by DePuy Synthes policies and processes, subject to applicable consultations and approvals.