The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced that the second phase of Saudisation in consulting services professions has been enacted. This phase encompasses 40% of professions within consulting services, particularly focusing on financial, engineering, architectural, health, and senior management consulting.
The Saudisation ratio for consulting professions has increased from 35% to 40%. Key professions affected by the second phase of Saudisation include financial consulting specialists, business consulting specialists, cyber security consulting specialists, project management managers, project management engineers, and project management specialists.
This initiative is part of the Ministry’s ongoing endeavours to create more dynamic and productive employment opportunities for citizens across Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry has emphasised its commitment to monitoring and implementing the second phase of Saudisation in these professions. This effort is undertaken in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority (EXPRO), and the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF), ensuring alignment with sector requirements and labour market demands.
This initiative builds upon previous efforts by the Ministry to generate employment opportunities for Saudi nationals, fostering a stimulating, productive, and stable work environment across the Kingdom.
To incentivise private sector establishments to employ Saudis, the Ministry will offer a comprehensive package of incentives. These include support for recruitment processes, training, qualification, career development, and priority access to nationalisation support programs facilitated through HADAF.
Furthermore, the Ministry has issued a guide confirming the specifics of profession localisation decisions and their implementation mechanisms. Establishments are urged to adhere to Saudisation regulations to avoid statutory penalties for non-compliance.
We are closely monitoring these changes in Saudi Arabia, and can advise you with respect to the impact of those changes as well as conduct any assessments your business might need to comply with the new requirements.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
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EMEA Immigration Partner
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Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
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