Saudi Arabia
Mudad
Saudi Arabia's MHRSD payroll and Wage Protection System platform. Mandatory for private-sector salary disbursement, monthly Salary Information File uploads, and WPP compliance.
Overview
Mudad (mudad.com.sa) is Saudi Arabia's official digital payroll and wage-protection platform, developed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) in partnership with the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). It is the primary channel through which employers submit the monthly Salary Information File (SIF) that drives Wage Protection System (WPS) compliance, and has effectively become the backbone of Saudi Arabia's private-sector payroll governance. In 2026 it is tightly integrated with Qiwa (labour records and contracts), GOSI (social insurance), and the kingdom's banking system, making it the central compliance hub for salaries.
Mudad is mandatory for private-sector employers covered by the Wage Protection Programme. The 2026 regulatory regime moved Mudad from 'recommended' to effectively mandatory: employers must upload monthly wage protection files within 20 days of the due date, with missing this window triggering automatic escalation on the Mudad system. If no corrective action is taken within another 20 days, the platform automatically refers the case to the MHRSD Inspection Department, which can suspend establishment services and impose fines.
Mudad operates two service tiers. The free tier (Lite) lets the employer submit the SIF and meet WPS reporting; the employer still runs payroll on their own system or by bank transfer outside Mudad. The premium tier (Mudad Premium) enables full payroll inside the platform: calculating salaries, allowances, and deductions; previewing them and any violations before transfer; then automatically transferring salaries from the establishment's bank account to employee accounts via bank integration. Smaller employers without sophisticated HR systems typically adopt Premium because it does the WPS compliance for them. Confirm specific subscription pricing on mudad.com.sa before assuming a number.
Services offered
- Monthly WPS file submission
- Payroll calculation and disbursement
- Bank integration for salary transfers
- Violation preview before MHRSD escalation
How to access
1. Register the establishment on Mudad
Open mudad.com.sa, choose Register Establishment, log in with Nafath as the establishment owner or authorised signatory. The system pulls the establishment record from Qiwa and the bank record from SAMA.
2. Choose Lite or Premium
Lite is free and limited to WPS submission. Premium is paid and includes payroll calculation, bank-integrated transfer, and full violation handling. Choose based on the size of the team and the sophistication of existing HR systems.
3. Sync employee data from Qiwa and GOSI
Mudad imports the employee list from Qiwa contracts and GOSI registrations. Confirm every employee's bank account is registered in their own name (a WPS hard requirement) and that contract details match. Discrepancies must be fixed in Qiwa or GOSI first.
4. Submit the monthly SIF on time
Upload the Salary Information File within 20 days of the salary due date. Mudad validates and submits to WPS. Late submission triggers escalation; missing both windows refers the case to MHRSD Inspection.
5. Resolve violations through Mudad
When Mudad flags a violation (late payment, missing salary, mismatch with Qiwa), resolve through the platform: pay the worker, supply evidence, and resubmit. Most resolved violations close the inspection trigger.
FAQs
Effectively yes for any private-sector employer covered by the Wage Protection Programme. The MHRSD has tightened compliance: WPS submissions through Mudad within 20 days are required, late submission triggers escalation, and missing the second 20-day window refers the case to inspection. Confirm specific applicability on mudad.com.sa.
WPS (Wage Protection System) is the underlying regulatory programme run by MHRSD with SAMA. Mudad is the digital platform on which employers fulfil WPS by uploading their monthly SIF. WPS is the law; Mudad is the tool.
No. Qiwa is the labour-contracts and Saudization platform; Mudad is the payroll and WPS platform. They are integrated so contracts in Qiwa feed Mudad's payroll calculations, but employers use both.
The price varies by establishment size and feature tier. Confirm current pricing on mudad.com.sa as MHRSD adjusts subscription costs from time to time. The Lite tier is free.
Mudad escalates internally within 20 days, giving the employer time to correct and submit. If no corrective action happens within the second 20-day window, the case is referred to MHRSD Inspection, which can suspend establishment services and impose fines. Both consequences are avoidable by submitting on time.
No. WPS requires salaries to be paid by bank transfer into an account in the worker's own name. Cash payments are not recognised and constitute WPS non-compliance even if the worker confirms receipt.
Mudad does not collect GOSI contributions itself, but Mudad's employee list and salary data is cross-checked against GOSI registrations to verify contributions match. Discrepancies between Mudad and GOSI are flagged and must be reconciled.
Workers do not have a personal Mudad account, but their salary deposit and WPS status are visible to them through their own bank account and indirectly through their Qiwa employee profile. Disputes about a missing salary are first raised with the employer and, if unresolved, with MHRSD through the labour complaint flow.
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