Nitaqat Calculator: Saudization Rate and ICT Quota Check

Saudi employer tools · Updated November 2026

Estimate your Saudization rate using the Nitaqat counting rules. Enter your total headcount, your Saudi employees by salary band and your ICT staff. The calculator shows the number of Saudis counted, your Saudization rate and whether you meet the 25% ICT quota.

Saudi and non-Saudi staff.
Each counts as one employee.
Each counts as half.
Engineering, development and technical support roles.
SAR 7,000 for specialists, SAR 5,000 for technicians.
Enter the total number of employees.

Results are estimates. Your Nitaqat band depends on your activity and size, so check the official target on Qiwa.

How Saudis Are Counted in Nitaqat

Monthly wage of the Saudi employeeCounts as
SAR 4,000 or moreOne employee
SAR 3,000 to 3,999Half an employee
Below SAR 3,000Not counted

Profession rules can set higher wage floors. Read the Saudization guide for the 2026 rates by profession.

Worked Example

A tech company has 40 employees. It employs 8 Saudis on SAR 4,000 or more and 2 Saudis on SAR 3,500.

  • Saudis counted: 8 + (2 × 0.5) = 9.
  • Saudization rate: 9 ÷ 40 = 22.5%.
  • ICT quota: with 12 staff in covered ICT roles, 25% means 3 Saudis in those roles.

Ways to Improve Your Nitaqat Position

  1. Hire Saudi engineers and specialists at or above the profession wage floor.
  2. Register every employee’s profession accurately on Qiwa.
  3. Model your headcount before hiring, because targets rise with team size.
  4. Use remote engineers outside the Kingdom for roles that do not need to be in Saudi Arabia.

Our IT recruitment team in Riyadh sources Saudi tech talent. Remote engineers through staff augmentation cost USD 225 a month on top of salary.

Related Guides and Tools

Nitaqat Calculator FAQs

How is the Saudization rate calculated?

Divide the number of Saudis counted by total employees. A Saudi earning at least SAR 4,000 counts as one, and one earning SAR 3,000 to 3,999 counts as half.

Can this calculator show my Nitaqat band?

Not exactly. Since 2026, targets scale with headcount and differ by activity. Use the rate here as a guide and compare it with your target on Qiwa.

What is the Saudization quota for IT roles?

Companies with five or more staff in covered ICT roles must fill 25% of them with Saudis. Specialists count at SAR 7,000 a month and technicians at SAR 5,000.

Do Saudis earning below SAR 3,000 count?

No. Saudis paid below SAR 3,000 a month do not count towards the Saudization rate.

What happens in the Red band?

Red-band companies cannot issue or renew work permits for non-Saudi staff. Visa applications and profession changes are also suspended.