Saudization Guide: Nitaqat Rules and Rates for 2026
Saudi hiring guide · Updated November 2026
Saudization sets the share of Saudi nationals your company must employ. This guide explains how Nitaqat bands work, how Saudis are counted, and the 2026 rates for IT, engineering and other roles. It also covers how to build a tech team that stays compliant.
What Is Saudization?
Saudization, or localisation, is the policy that requires private companies in Saudi Arabia to employ Saudi nationals. It supports Vision 2030 goals for private-sector jobs.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) sets the rules. Companies track their status on the Qiwa platform, and Saudi staff are registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI).
Saudization vs Nitaqat
Saudization is the goal. Nitaqat is the scoring system behind it. It compares each company’s share of Saudi staff with a target for its activity and size.
How the Nitaqat Programme Works
Nitaqat bands
Each company is placed in a colour band based on its Saudization rate:
- Platinum: well above the target.
- High Green and Medium Green: compliant, with full access to ministry services.
- Low Green: compliant, but new visas and profession changes are suspended.
- Red: below the target, with the heaviest restrictions.
What changed in the 2026 Developed Nitaqat phase
MHRSD issued a new procedural guide in January 2026. The phase runs from April 2026 to December 2028 and aims to add more than 340,000 jobs for Saudis.
- Headcount-based targets: fixed brackets were replaced by a formula, so the target rises gradually as your workforce grows.
- Entity-level assessment: branches with the same economic activity are assessed together.
- No small-entity exemption: Nitaqat now covers all entities. Those with fewer than six employees need no more than one Saudi.
- Consolidated sectors: economic activities were merged, and each sector has its own constants.
How Saudi employees are counted
| Monthly wage of the Saudi employee | Counts in Nitaqat as |
|---|---|
| SAR 4,000 or more | One employee |
| SAR 3,000 to SAR 4,000 | Half an employee |
| Below SAR 3,000 | Not counted |
Profession rules can set higher wage floors, such as SAR 7,000 for ICT specialists or SAR 8,000 for engineers.
Saudization Rates by Profession in 2026
Your overall Nitaqat band is only part of the picture. Profession decisions add separate quotas for specific roles, and you must meet both.
| Profession group | Saudi share | Applies to | Wage floor and conditions | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICT (communications and IT) | 25% | 5+ staff in covered ICT roles | SAR 7,000 specialists; SAR 5,000 technicians | In force since June 2021 |
| Engineering (46 professions) | 30% | 5+ engineers | SAR 8,000; Saudi Council of Engineers accreditation | Decision 31 Dec 2025; enforced from 30 Jun 2026 |
| Technical engineering roles | 30% | 5+ staff in listed technician roles | SAR 5,000; Saudi Council of Engineers accreditation | Enforced from 27 Jul 2025 |
| Sales | 60% | 3+ sales staff | Set in the MHRSD guide | Announced Jan 2026, 3-month grace period |
| Marketing | 60% | 3+ marketing staff | SAR 5,500 | Announced Jan 2026, 3-month grace period |
| Procurement | 70% | 3+ procurement staff | Set in the MHRSD guide | Decision 30 Nov 2025, 6-month grace period |
| Project management | 70% | 3+ project management staff | Set in the MHRSD guide | From 14 Feb 2027 |
| Administrative support (69 professions) | 100% | All covered roles | Not applicable | Phased from 5 Apr 2026 to 4 Oct 2026 |
Rates and dates come from MHRSD announcements and law-firm summaries published up to September 2026. Rules change often, so confirm the current resolution on the MHRSD website or Qiwa before you hire.
Saudization Rules for IT and Tech Teams
Tech companies usually face two layers of rules: the Nitaqat target for their activity and the ICT profession decision.
The ICT localisation decision
Since June 2021, companies with five or more staff in covered ICT roles must fill 25% of them with Saudis. The decision covers three groups:
- Communications and IT engineering
- Application development, programming and analysis
- Technical support
A Saudi in a specialist role counts only when paid at least SAR 7,000 a month. In a technician role, the floor is SAR 5,000.
Engineering roles in tech companies
Roles registered as engineering professions fall under the 30% engineering rule. Saudi engineers must earn at least SAR 8,000 and hold Saudi Council of Engineers accreditation.
Job titles on Qiwa
Each employee’s registered profession decides which quota applies. MHRSD restricts changes to some professions on Qiwa, so register roles accurately from the start.
What Happens If You Miss Your Saudization Target?
| Band | Main effect on ministry services |
|---|---|
| Platinum, High Green, Medium Green | Full services, including visas, profession changes, work permit renewals and transfers |
| Low Green | New visa applications and profession changes suspended |
| Red | Low Green limits, plus no service transfers and no new or renewed work permits for non-Saudi staff |
A Red rating can stop you renewing permits for existing expat staff. That makes Saudization a business continuity issue, not only an HR one.
How to Stay Compliant: A Practical Checklist
- Check your entity’s band and target on Qiwa each month.
- List every employee’s registered profession and match it to profession quotas.
- Pay Saudi staff at or above the wage floor for their role, and register wages with GOSI.
- Accrue end-of-service costs each month. Our Saudi end of service calculator shows the amount for any wage and service period.
- Model your headcount plan before hiring, because the target rises with team size.
- Plan accreditation with the Saudi Council of Engineers for engineering roles.
- Review new MHRSD resolutions each quarter and allow for grace periods.
Building a Tech Team Under Saudization
Staffenza helps Saudi companies plan tech hiring around Nitaqat. You can combine three models:
Recruit Saudi tech talent
We source and vet Saudi engineers and specialists for permanent roles. The fee is 15–20% of the first-year package, with a 3-month replacement guarantee.
Add remote engineers
Vetted developers work Saudi hours from India or Pakistan, outside your Saudi payroll. The fee is USD 225 a month on top of salary.
Employ through EOR
We employ staff in the Kingdom and handle GOSI, Qiwa and payroll. The fee is AED 899 per employee per month, plus government costs at actual cost.
Every candidate passes five steps: CV and portfolio review, technical assessment, live technical interview, English check and references. Compare costs with our hiring cost calculator, or read the Saudi Arabia hiring hub. Check your own Saudization rate with the Nitaqat calculator. Hiring in the UAE too? See our Emiratisation guide. For more, read how to hire remote developers or browse all hiring guides. For contracts, leave and Iqama fees, see the Saudi labour law guide.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your obligations with MHRSD or a qualified adviser.
Saudization FAQs
What is Saudization?
Saudization is the Saudi policy that requires private companies to employ a set share of Saudi nationals. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) enforces it through the Nitaqat programme.
Is Nitaqat the same as Saudization?
Not quite. Saudization is the policy goal. Nitaqat is the programme that measures each company against its target and places it in a colour band.
What are the new Saudization rules for 2026?
A new phase of the Developed Nitaqat programme applies from April 2026 to December 2028. Targets now scale with headcount, small entities are no longer exempt, and profession rates rose for sales, marketing, engineering, procurement and administrative support.
What is the Saudization rate for IT jobs?
Under the 2021 ICT decision, 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.
Which jobs are under Saudization?
Profession rules cover areas such as administrative support, procurement, sales, marketing, engineering, ICT, accounting, pharmacy, dentistry and tourism. Check Qiwa for the professions registered at your company.
How is a Saudi employee counted in Nitaqat?
A Saudi earning at least SAR 4,000 a month counts as one employee. One earning between SAR 3,000 and SAR 4,000 counts as half, and below SAR 3,000 does not count.
What happens if my company falls into the Red band?
Red-band companies cannot issue or renew work permits for non-Saudi staff. Visa applications, profession changes and service transfers are also suspended.
Do remote developers outside Saudi Arabia affect Saudization?
Remote engineers who live and work outside the Kingdom are not employed by your Saudi entity. Confirm with your adviser how this applies to your Nitaqat plan.