Saudi authorities have announced increased Saudisation requirements for certain private-sector roles, with phased implementation timelines running through 2026. Employers may need to review role coverage and localisation plans in light of higher thresholds and new role-specific obligations.
Revised thresholds and timelines
Below is a breakdown of the updated requirements by role category, including the headcount triggers, the revised Saudisation percentages, and the applicable compliance dates through 2026. Overall, the changes require higher localisation percentages than previously mandated.
Engineering roles
Private-sector companies employing five or more accredited engineers across 46 engineering professions must increase Saudisation levels to 30% (from 25%) by 30 June 2026. Affected roles include, but are not limited to:
Procurement roles
Private-sector companies employing three or more employees across 12 procurement professions must achieve 70% Saudisation (up from 50%) by 31 May 2026. This applies to all procurement roles such as:
Sports & fitness roles
By 18 November 2026, men’s and women’s sports centers and gyms employing four or more staff must ensure that at least 15% of key sports and fitness roles are filled by Saudi nationals. Affected roles include:
Shared accommodation & housing supervision
Companies providing shared accommodation for 20 or more individuals—including residential complexes, mobile cabins, and residential buildings—must comply with new Saudisation requirements. The housing supervisor role must be 100% Saudised starting 1 February 2026. A minimum salary of SAR 5,000 is required for compliance.
Employers in impacted sectors will need to take a proactive approach to workforce planning. Early role mapping, headcount analysis, and local talent development strategies will be critical to meeting the new thresholds while minimising operational disruption and compliance risk.
We support organisations with:
If you’d like to discuss how these changes may affect your organisation or explore tailored compliance solutions, please get in touch.
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners point of contact, or alternatively:
Anir Chatterji
EMEA Immigration Partner
Ali Ibrahim
Director, KSA and Bahrain Lead
Adel Moumen
Senior Manager Middle East Immigration
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