ArcHR
HR Software for Saudi Arabia Companies with 10–25 employees.
The 10–25 employee stage is when Excel payroll breaks down and compliance exposure becomes personal for the owner. ArcHR is SAR-native HR and payroll for Saudi Arabia SMEs with 10–25 employees — GOSI contribution calculation + CSV export; Mudad (WPS) SIF file generation.
· by ArcHR Compliance Team
Month in the life
The first week of each month starts with Finance reconciling last month's GOSI contribution file against Qiwa contract salaries. The GM still approves iqama renewals from a shared calendar, but two expatriate hires from last month were never registered on Qiwa before their first payroll run. Mudad wage protection for Saudi nationals requires salaries through approved banks by the 10th — a delay last quarter triggered an HRSD notice. Leave is requested by phone and logged inconsistently; sick leave without medical certificates slips through because no system enforces the rule. Saudization percentage is calculated roughly once a quarter when visa quotas tighten, not monthly from live payroll data. End-of-service accrual for departing staff is estimated in a notebook rather than tracked per employee. When GOSI auditors request contribution history, the admin spends a full day matching bank statements to payslips. Probation completions and salary revisions from contract negotiations are not reflected on Qiwa before payroll runs, creating contribution mismatches that take hours to unwind. At 10–25 employees, one dedicated person can still hold the process together — but growth exposes every manual gap. ArcHR centralises GOSI calculations, Mudad-ready exports, iqama expiry alerts, and leave accrual so the owner stops firefighting payroll every month.
Primary pain points
The owner still processes payroll manually — every month is a deadline risk
WPS rejection happened once — the owner fixed it manually and never wants to repeat it
No dedicated HR person — the office manager or GM handles HR alongside everything else
Compliance checklist
- Register Saudi employees on GOSI within 15 days of hire and file monthly contributions on time
- Pay Saudi national salaries through Mudad-approved banking channels with reported data matching Qiwa contracts
- Register all employment contracts on Qiwa before the employee's first salary payment
- Track iqama, passport, and contract expiry dates with renewal alerts at least 30 days before lapse
- Monitor Nitaqat Saudization percentage monthly against your industry benchmark on Qiwa
- Calculate end-of-service benefits for non-Saudi employees from the first day of service per KSA Labour Law
Pricing fit
ArcHR charges per active employee per month with GOSI payroll, Mudad-ready exports, leave management, and iqama expiry alerts included in the core plan. For a 20-person KSA company, monthly platform cost is typically lower than a single HRSD penalty for late Mudad reporting or one month of manual payroll consultant fees. No hidden per-visa or per-branch fees, and no minimum seat commitments that force you to pay for unused licences. Book a demo for pricing aligned to your Saudization profile and payroll complexity — most SMEs at this stage save 40–60% versus legacy HR platforms.
Frequently asked questions
Do 10–25 employee companies in UAE need HR software?
Any UAE company paying staff through WPS is legally required to generate a compliant SIF file every pay period. At 10–25 employees, manual Excel payroll becomes the primary WPS rejection risk. ArcHR automates SIF generation from the first payroll run.
Is GOSI registration mandatory for a 15-employee Saudi company?
Yes. All Saudi employees must be registered on GOSI within 15 days of hire. Monthly employer and employee contributions are mandatory. Non-Saudi employees may have voluntary GOSI coverage depending on contract terms.
What happens if Mudad wage reporting is late for a small KSA company?
HRSD monitors Mudad compliance for Saudi nationals. Late or mismatched wage reports can trigger establishment flags, restrict visa issuance, and lead to fines. Even small companies face the same Mudad deadlines as larger employers.
How does ArcHR help a 20-person company track iqama renewals?
ArcHR stores iqama, passport, and contract expiry dates on each employee profile and sends automated alerts to HR 30, 60, and 90 days before lapse. Renewal status is visible on a single dashboard instead of scattered spreadsheets.
At what headcount should KSA SMEs start monitoring Nitaqat monthly?
Start monitoring from your first Saudi hire. Nitaqat band affects visa quotas and government fee discounts. At 10–25 employees, a single Saudi departure or expat hire can shift your band — monthly tracking prevents surprise visa blocks.
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