Nitaqat 2026 to 2028: How the Developed Nitaqat System Works
Nitaqat 2026 is Saudi Arabia's Developed Nitaqat program, run by MHRSD. It rates each private-sector entity into one of five bands (Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green or Red) by comparing its Saudi share of the workforce with a target that rises with headcount and differs by economic activity. The current cycle runs from April 2026 to December 2028, and band decides access to visas, profession changes and work permits.
What is the Nitaqat program in Saudi Arabia?
Nitaqat 2026 is the Developed Nitaqat program, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) system that rates private-sector employers on how many Saudis they employ. The program is the core of Saudi Arabia's Saudization (Tawteen) policy for whole workforces. MHRSD's 2026 procedural guide sets out the bands, the formula and the targets.
The mechanics are simple to state. Your entity has a Saudi percentage. Your economic activity and headcount set four thresholds. Where your percentage falls against those thresholds is your band. The band then controls services such as new visas, profession changes and work permits.
When does the 2026 to 2028 cycle run?
The current cycle runs from April 2026 to December 2028, according to Al Tamimi's 2026 and 2027 overview. MHRSD's guide publishes constants for each of the three years, so targets are set in advance.
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural guide | 2026 edition, published January 2026 | MHRSD |
| Cycle | April 2026 to December 2028 | Al Tamimi |
| Legal basis | Ministerial Decision No. 182495 | Clyde & Co, MHRSD guide |
| Target years in the guide | 2026, 2027, 2028 | MHRSD guide |
Keep two dates apart. The guide's publication date is not the date the new cycle began. Employers should work from the April 2026 start of the cycle when they review their band history.
Who does Nitaqat cover?
Nitaqat covers private-sector entities, and under the 2026 rules the size exemption has gone. Al Tamimi reports that the exemption for entities with fewer than six employees was removed, and that those small entities need at least one Saudi national. See Nitaqat for small establishments.
MHRSD assesses an entity, not each establishment on its own. The entity concept appears in MHRSD's Developed Nitaqat guide from 2021, and the 2026 guide applies it across the program. Saudization is measured across all branches that carry out the same economic activity. Clyde & Co describes the entity-based model as the most significant structural change in the 2026 guide. In practice, a weak branch is not judged in isolation: its figures are pooled with stronger branches in the same activity, and one band applies to all of them.
What are the five Nitaqat bands?
Developed Nitaqat has five bands: Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green and Red. There is no Yellow band. Each band has a minimum percentage, and the entity must reach or pass that minimum.
| Band | What it means | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | Highest threshold met | Full services |
| High Green | Third threshold met | Full services |
| Medium Green | Second threshold met | Full services |
| Low Green | Lowest compliant threshold met | New visas and profession changes suspended |
| Red | Below the Low Green threshold | Wider restrictions, including work permits and transfers |
The Nitaqat bands page has the full service-by-band table, and Low Green and Red restrictions explains the employer impact.
How is the required Saudi percentage set?
The required percentage follows a logarithmic formula, Y = M ln(X) + C. X is the size of the workforce, M and C are constants published by MHRSD for each economic activity and band, and C also changes by year. The required threshold changes continuously with workforce size, using constants specific to each activity and band, rather than fixed headcount brackets.
This is why two employers with the same headcount can face different targets: they may operate in different economic activities. Our page on how Nitaqat is calculated walks through the formula and worked examples. To test your own numbers, use the official tool covered in our Nitaqat calculator guide.
What changed from the old Nitaqat system?
| Area | Earlier practice | Developed Nitaqat 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment unit | Each establishment under the original program; MHRSD's 2021 guide introduced the entity | The entity, across branches in the same activity |
| Entry thresholds | Largely uniform | Vary significantly by sector |
| Growth with size | Step changes at brackets, before the 2021 program | Smooth logarithmic curve |
| Bands | Included Yellow | Five bands, no Yellow |
| Small entities | Exempt under six employees | Covered, with a one-Saudi minimum |
| Low Green | Already barred from new visas and occupation changes under MHRSD's 2021 guide | Visas and profession changes suspended |
The first four rows come from MHRSD's guide and Clyde & Co. The small-entity row comes from Al Tamimi. The Low Green row combines Al Tamimi, Clyde & Co and the guide.
How is Nitaqat different from profession rules?
Nitaqat measures your whole entity. Profession rules measure named job titles. An employer has to pass both, and one does not cancel the other.
| Test | What it measures | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Nitaqat | Saudi share of the whole entity, set by activity and size | Band: Medium Green |
| Profession rule | Saudi share of specific occupations | 70% in project management from 14 February 2027 |
MHRSD's project management guide says the establishment's Nitaqat classification does not affect the calculation of that profession rate. A Platinum entity can still fall short on a profession rule. See the rates database for every active profession percentage and Saudization vs Nitaqat for the wider picture.
What MHRSD says
- Five bands: Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green and Red.
- Thresholds follow Y = M ln(X) + C, with constants published for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
- Assessment is entity-based, across branches in the same economic activity.
- Services such as visas, profession changes and work permits depend on band.
Our analysis
- The entity basis means mergers, branch openings and restructuring can move your band without any hiring decision.
- Rising constants mean standing still is a slow slide: the same Saudi percentage can buy a lower band in 2028 than in 2026.
- Low Green is not a safe parking spot, because it blocks new visas and profession changes.
What should employers do now?
- Check your band on Qiwa and note your economic activity as MHRSD has it registered.
- Find your thresholds for 2026, 2027 and 2028 in the guide's appendix, or test headcount scenarios in the official calculator.
- Review how Saudis are counted. Salary and contract recording affect the numerator. See counting rules and salary thresholds.
- Plan headcount changes against the entity total, not a single branch.
- Track profession rules separately. The employer guide shows how the two tests interact.
This page describes what the rules say. It is not legal advice for any specific employer.
Frequently asked questions
01What is the Nitaqat program in Saudi Arabia?
Nitaqat is MHRSD's classification program for private-sector employers in Saudi Arabia. It compares an entity's share of Saudi employees with a target set by its economic activity and headcount, and assigns one of five bands: Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green or Red. The band decides access to visas, profession changes and work permits.
02Which law or decision governs Developed Nitaqat?
The program rests on Ministerial Decision No. 182495, which Clyde & Co reports remains the legal basis. MHRSD's 2026 procedural guide changes how it is applied, including the entity-based assessment and the 2026 to 2028 targets.
03Does Nitaqat apply to every private company in Saudi Arabia?
Under the 2026 rules it does. Al Tamimi reports that the old exemption for entities with fewer than six employees was removed, so Nitaqat now applies to all entities regardless of size, with a minimum of one Saudi for the smallest.
04Do targets change during the 2026 to 2028 cycle?
Yes. MHRSD's guide publishes constants for 2026, 2027 and 2028, and the constant C that sets each band's threshold steps up each year in the published example we could check. Plan for the target to move even if your headcount does not.
05Is the Yellow band still part of Nitaqat?
No. The 2026 guide lists five bands and no Yellow. Some older MHRSD service descriptions still use legacy labels, so check the band names on your Qiwa account rather than relying on old pages.
06Where do I see my official Nitaqat band?
On the Qiwa platform, using your employer login. MHRSD also offers a free Nitaqat calculator and an establishment assessment service there. Third-party tools give estimates only, so use them for planning, not proof.
07Is Nitaqat calculated per branch or for the whole company?
Under the 2026 Developed Nitaqat program, Saudization is assessed at entity level, across all branches carrying out the same economic activity, rather than branch by branch.
08How long does the current Nitaqat cycle run?
The current Developed Nitaqat cycle runs from April 2026 to December 2028, with targets set for each year of the cycle.
Sources
- MHRSD: Developed Nitaqat Program Procedural Guide, 2026 edition (Arabic). Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, 2026-01.
- Clyde & Co: Saudi Arabia's Developed Nitaqat Programme, key updates from May 2026. Clyde & Co, 2026-06.
- Al Tamimi & Company: Saudi Arabia's 2026/2027 Saudisation Overview. Al Tamimi & Company, 22 September 2026.
This page explains Saudi workforce localization rules for general information. It is not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm against the official MHRSD decision linked above and take advice from a qualified Saudi legal adviser before acting. StrongYes is an independent publication and is not affiliated with MHRSD, Qiwa or any Saudi government body. Full disclaimer.