Kamal Ghorui
Saudi Arabia has announced an expansion of its Saudization policy, bringing dozens of additional private sector roles under full localisation from April 5, 2026. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) announced that the updated decision will cover 69 more professions, all of which will require 100% employment of Saudi nationals. The move includes administrative support roles such as secretarial work, translation, data entry, and related functions, in line with the Unified Saudi Occupational Classification. The requirement will apply to all establishments that employ one or more workers in these roles. HRSD has also published a detailed procedural guide on its website, outlining the newly added job titles and implementation mechanisms. The ministry urged companies to comply with the decision to avoid regulatory penalties. The ministry said the update forms part of its ongoing efforts to localise specialised roles in the private sector. Establishments affected by the decision will be able to benefit from support programmes and incentives aimed at easing implementation. Saudization is a government initiative aimed at increasing the participation of Saudi nationals in the private sector. It sets hiring targets for companies to ensure greater involvement of local talent across various professions. The latest move builds on earlier decisions announced in January to raise Saudization levels in engineering and procurement roles. The Saudization rate for engineering professions will increase to 30 per cent, while the minimum monthly salary in the private and non-profit sectors has been set at SR8,000. The ministry also implemented a 55 per cent Saudization requirement for dental professions in the private sector from January 27, as part of the programme’s second phase. The measure covers 20 dental professions and follows an earlier phase that introduced a 45 per cent target effective July 27, 2025, in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
