On November 8, 2026, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in partnership with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, announced a decision to raise the Saudization rate for 94 technical engineering professions in private-sector establishments to 35%, effective May 9, 2027.
The decision applies to all private-sector establishments employing five or more workers in the targeted professions, with the rate calculated at the entity level in accordance with the procedural guide. The professions covered include civil, electrical, mechanical, and electronic engineering technicians; surveying technicians; mechanical maintenance technicians; and architectural drafters, as defined in the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations.
To help establishments comply, the human resources and social development system offers incentives and support for recruitment, training, qualification, hiring, and job retention, as well as priority access to its Saudization support programs.
The ministry has published a procedural guide on its website outlining the professions covered, implementation mechanisms, methods for calculating Saudization rates, and compliance rules.
The decision is part of the two ministries’ efforts to localize specialized professions, empower national talent, and increase Saudi men’s and women’s participation in the labor market, in line with the goals of the Labor Market Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.
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