Administrative Support Saudization: 100% Rule and 69 Covered Professions

What is the administrative support Saudization rule?

Administrative support Saudization is a 100% localization requirement for 69 additional administrative support professions in the private sector. It covers any establishment with one or more workers in those professions.

MHRSD announced the update to its administrative support decision in early April 2026. The rule applied from 5 April 2026 to a first group of 19 professions. The remaining 50 professions received a six-month grace period that ended on 4 October 2026. The decision is the strictest type of profession rule: roles are reserved for Saudi nationals, with no non-Saudi share permitted. Our update on the administrative support phase 2 deadline tracks the latest position.

Which administrative support jobs are subject to 100% Saudization?

MHRSD's procedural guide lists the 69 professions under the Saudi classification of occupations. We have not reproduced the full list or occupation codes, because we could not verify them line by line against the guide. Press and law firm coverage reports the following types of role. Treat them as examples, and check the guide for the code that applies to each employee.

Reports do not agree on which titles fall in the first group of 19 and which in the second group of 50, so we do not assign titles to groups. Now that both groups are in force, the split no longer changes what applies. Warehouse keeper also appears in the 12-role procurement rule, and public relations titles appear in the marketing rule. Confirm in the guides which decision governs each registered code.

For every role reserved for Saudis, including those outside administrative support, see the list of 100% Saudization professions.

How did the two groups differ?

The decision split the 69 professions into two groups. Both now have the same 100% requirement.

The split matters mainly for history. If an establishment employed non-Saudis in second-group roles during the grace period, that period has now closed. BAL and Al Tamimi report a six-month grace period for the second group, ending on 4 October 2026. Employers should check their records for any role that moved from "grace" to "in force" on that date.

Which employers must comply?

The rule applies to every private-sector establishment with one or more workers in the covered professions. There is no headcount threshold above one and no small-business exemption in the announcements we reviewed. The trigger is the registered occupation, not the department or the job title used internally.

How do you calculate the 100% requirement?

Saudis required = all workers in the covered professions. There is no rounding step, because 100% of any number is that number. The only calculation is how many of your covered workers are currently non-Saudi.

No minimum salary for a Saudi to count appears in the announcements we reviewed. Nitaqat pay rules still apply to your overall Nitaqat count.

Earlier administrative support decisions pre-date this one. MHRSD describes the 2026 update as adding 69 professions, so a role could already be covered by a prior decision. The 100% professions list shows every role reserved for Saudis.

How does this rule relate to Nitaqat?

They are separate tests and an employer must meet both. Nitaqat rates the whole establishment by its overall Saudi share. The administrative support rule covers named professions only and requires 100% Saudis in them. Meeting one does not meet the other.

Al Tamimi's overview notes that employees in 100% Saudized professions face restrictions on changing their registered profession on Qiwa. See our guide to Qiwa profession change rules. The Saudization certificate page explains what the certificate is and who gets one, and the Nitaqat overview covers the bands.

Key dates

See every date in the Saudization calendar.

What happens if an establishment does not comply?

MHRSD has urged establishments to comply to avoid regulatory penalties. The announcements we reviewed do not publish fine amounts, and we have not verified a specific decision number for this rule. Reports say MHRSD cross-checks social insurance data to find non-compliance. Our guide to Saudization penalties and inspections explains how enforcement works.

What should employers do now?

1. List everyone registered in the 69 professions, in every branch.
2. Identify non-Saudi workers in those roles. Each is a gap against a 100% requirement.
3. Check registered occupations against actual duties. Correct genuine errors; do not reclassify roles to avoid the rule.
4. Plan the transition. Decide which roles will be filled by Saudi hires or internal moves, and read our note on outsourcing and Saudization before changing how the work is delivered.
5. Use available support. MHRSD lists recruitment support, training, employment support, job stability programs and Hadaf (HRDF) programs. See Saudization support programs.
6. Keep contracts on Qiwa so Saudi staff are recorded correctly.

The 90-day readiness checklist turns these steps into a plan.

What does it mean for Saudi professionals?

Administrative support roles are now reserved for Saudi nationals in covered establishments. That opens a large set of entry-level and mid-level jobs in secretarial, clerical, translation, reception, HR administration and data work. Skills that stand out include business English and Arabic writing, Microsoft Office, document management and interpreting. Recognized HR credentials help those moving into HR operations. The rule increases demand but does not guarantee any individual a role.

What does it mean for expat administrative staff?

At 100%, covered establishments cannot keep non-Saudis in these registered professions. Roles registered under other occupation codes are outside the rule, and employees in these professions face restrictions on changing their registered profession on Qiwa. Our expat guide explains how to check whether a profession is affected.

What support is available?

MHRSD lists recruitment support, training and qualification programs, employment support, job stability initiatives and benefits from the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf). See Hadaf wage support and the rates database for how this rule compares with others.