Saudi Arabia Issues New Guidance on Localization of Certain Professions

Key Point  

• Saudi Arabia introduced new rules requiring private‑sector companies to meet a new Saudization rate in designated sectors and roles. 

Saudization Requirements 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) has released new guidance expanding workforce localization requirements across several professional sectors. These updates introduce new Saudization targets, revised wage thresholds and updated compliance timelines for private‑sector employers.

The changes apply to marketing, sales, engineering and procurement professions, with implementation dates extending through 2026.

Saudization Requirements for Marketing and Sales Professionals  

These decisions require targeted establishments to employ at least 60% Saudi nationals in sales and marketing roles. This requirement applies to any entity with three or more employees working in the specified professions. 

Targeted Occupations 

The guides identify specific job titles subject to localization: 

• Marketing Professions: Marketing manager, public relations specialist, advertising specialist, graphic designer, photographer and related roles. 
• Sales Professions: Sales manager, retail sales manager, wholesale sales manager, sales representative, ICT sales specialist, commercial specialist and related roles. 

Minimum Salary Requirement (Marketing Only) 

For marketing roles, Saudi employees must earn at least SAR 5,500 per month to count toward the Saudization percentage. 

Grace Period 

Employers have a three‑month grace period from the date of the decision to meet the required percentage.  

Saudization Requirements for Engineering and Procurement Professions

MHRSD has also announced new localization increases for engineering and procurement professions, effective in 2026.

Engineering Professions

Private‑sector establishments employing five or more accredited engineers across 46 engineering professions must ensure that 30% of these roles are filled by Saudi nationals by June 30, 2026 (up from 25%).

Affected fields include: Oil and gas, mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil engineering and other accredited engineering disciplines.

Procurement Professions

Companies employing three or more employees across 12 procurement professions must ensure that 70% of these roles are filled by Saudi nationals by May 31, 2026 (up from 50%).

Affected roles include: Procurement Manager, contracts manager, logistics manager, procurement specialist, market research specialist and related positions.

Enforcement

After the applicable grace periods, MHRSD may impose penalties on establishments that:

• Do not meet the required Saudization percentages
• Assign localized duties to non‑Saudis under different job titles
• Fail to comply with wage thresholds or accreditation requirements

Nitaqat Program and Saudization Requirements 

Learn more about the Nitaqat Program and Saudization requirements in Saudi Arabia? Explore our in‑depth insight, Understanding Saudization and Nitaqat in Saudi Arabia: Key Requirements for Employers, for a detailed breakdown of how the system works and what organizations need to know to stay compliant. 

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