Saudi Arabia Changes Employment Rules for Foreigners in 94 Occupations, Names Affected Jobs
- Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources announced a decision to raise the Saudization rate for 94 technical engineering professions to 35%
- The new rule applies to private sector establishments with 5 or more employees working in the targeted professions
- The decision takes effect on May 9, 2027, and covers roles such as civil, electrical, mechanical, and electronic engineering technicians
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Saudi Arabia has changed its employment rules for foreigners working in 94 technical engineering occupations, requiring private sector companies to fill at least 35% of those roles with Saudi nationals.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in partnership with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, announced the decision on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Source: Getty Images
It takes effect on May 9, 2027, giving employers roughly six months to prepare for compliance.
The rule covers all private sector establishments with five or more employees in the targeted professions, calculated at the establishment level as outlined in the ministry's procedural guide.
Saudi Arabia: Which engineering professions are affected?
The 94 occupations covered by the decision span a wide range of technical engineering roles as classified under the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations.
They include civil engineering technicians, electrical engineering technicians, mechanical engineering technicians, electronic engineering technicians, surveying technicians, mechanical maintenance technicians, architectural draftsmen, and other related engineering support roles.
The ministry has published a full procedural guide on its website, detailing the list of covered professions, how Saudization rates are calculated, the mechanisms for implementation, and the compliance controls employers must observe.
Saudi Arabia: Support packages for private sector employers
To help businesses meet the new quota, the ministry said it would offer a package of incentives and support programmes. These cover recruitment assistance, training, qualification, employment support, and job stability measures.
Employers in affected sectors will also receive priority access to localisation support programmes run by the ministry.
The decision is framed as part of Saudi Arabia's broader Labour Market Strategy and its Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to increase the share of nationals in the private sector workforce and reduce dependence on expatriate labour in specialised fields.
Legit.ng reported that Saudi Arabia listed jobs that foreigners can and cannot apply for.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that Saudi Arabia deported nearly 9,600 illegal residents and arrested over 11,500 violators in one week.
Saudi Arabia suspends 66 hiring agencies
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Saudi Arabia suspended 66 agencies recruiting domestic and foreign workers.
The ministry announced the enforcement action on November 4, 2026, saying 67 offices in total faced legal consequences.
The 66 suspensions took effect immediately, while the single licence revocation applied to an office that failed to fix its violations within the time the ministry had set.
Source: Legit.ng
