Saudization 2026: Rules, Rates, Professions and Effective Dates

Saudization in 2026 is a two-layer system: a new Nitaqat cycle that bands every private-sector entity, and a growing list of profession rules that set a minimum Saudi share for named roles. This page lists every rule in force or announced as of 8 October 2026, with the date, rate, threshold and salary floor for each. It is the master reference for the hub's rates database.

If you need only the dates, use the Saudization calendar. If you want the policy basics first, start with what Saudization is.

What are the Saudization rules in 2026?

Eleven profession and sector rules apply or have been announced for 2026 and early 2027, alongside the Developed Nitaqat cycle. The table lists them in order of effective date. Dates are the date the rule becomes enforceable, after any grace period.

Project management, procurement, marketing, sales and engineering rest on MHRSD pages, and the tourism phase dates come from MHRSD's announcement. Dentistry is confirmed by the Ministry of Health. Administrative support and gyms are also announced by MHRSD, through SPA and its news pages. Housing supervisors and wellness centers rely on press and law-firm reporting and carry a medium confidence rating. The methodology page explains the ratings.

What does the tourism rule require in each phase?

MHRSD's tourism decision covers 41 professions and starts in three phases: 22 April 2026, 3 January 2027 and 2 January 2028. MHRSD's procedural guide sets the phase 1 rates at 100% for front-desk roles such as hotel receptionist and information clerk, 70% for roles such as tour guide, branch manager and procurement specialist, and 50% for operational roles such as ticket seller and event coordinator.

The guide sets phase 2 at 30% for chefs and phase 3 at 50% for a group of senior management roles such as hotel manager and marketing manager, calculated across the group. Read the tourism rule and the phase 2 update.

Which rules from 2025 still apply?

Several 2025 decisions continue to apply during 2026. MHRSD announced rules covering 269 professions in January 2025. Two are worth knowing here.

Pharmacy rates took effect on 27 July 2025. MHRSD's accounting guide sets 40% from 27 October 2025, 50% from 27 October 2026, 60% from 27 October 2027 and 70% from 27 October 2028, with a fifth phase on 27 October 2029 extending a 30% rate to establishments with three or four accountants.

Which professions are newly subject to Saudization in 2026?

Rules arrived steadily through the year. Most took effect after a grace period of three or six months, counted from the decision or the announcement depending on the rule.

The changes tracker logs each of these with its source, and the calendar extends the list to 2028.

What changed in Saudization compared with 2025?

Three things changed: the Nitaqat model, the range of occupations covered, and the speed of rollout. In 2025 the headline decisions covered healthcare, accounting, technical engineering and tourism. In 2026 the rules moved into commercial and back-office jobs.

How do Nitaqat and profession rules fit together?

They are tested separately, and an employer needs to pass both. MHRSD's project management guide states that the establishment's Nitaqat classification does not affect the calculation of the profession rate. A Platinum entity can still fall short of a profession rule.

The 2026 Developed Nitaqat program has five bands: Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green and Red. Required percentages follow a logarithmic formula, so they change continuously with workforce size and differ by economic activity and band. Saudization is assessed at entity level across all branches carrying out the same economic activity. Low Green entities face suspension of new visas and profession changes. Red entities face full restrictions, including suspension of work permit renewals for non-Saudis. See the Nitaqat bands and Low Green and Red pages.

For Nitaqat counting, a Saudi earning SAR 4,000 or more counts as one, SAR 3,000 to 3,999 counts as half, and below SAR 3,000 does not count. Entities with fewer than six employees no longer have an exemption and need at least one Saudi national.

What grace periods applied to the 2026 rules?

Grace periods ran from three to six months. MHRSD counts some from the decision's issuance and others, such as marketing and sales, from the announcement date, so check the effective date of each rule.

Which salary floors apply in 2026?

Rules in the table above with their own minimum salary for a Saudi employee to count are marketing at SAR 5,500, engineering at SAR 8,000, dentistry at SAR 9,000 and housing supervisors at SAR 5,000 (reported). Accounting, which rises to 50% on 27 October 2026, requires SAR 6,000 for bachelor's holders or SAR 4,500 for diploma holders, plus SOCPA accreditation. The procurement and project management decisions name none. The MHRSD sales announcement also names none, although some law-firm summaries report SAR 5,500 for sales, so confirm before relying on either reading. The salary thresholds page keeps the current list.

What are the penalties for missing a 2026 rule?

MHRSD applies the penalties in its Schedules of Violations and Penalties, issued under Ministerial Decision No. 112377 dated 21/08/1447 AH. Inspection teams monitor compliance after each grace period. See Saudization penalties for how enforcement works.

What comes after 2026?

Three dated changes are confirmed: tourism phase 2 on 3 January 2027, project management on 14 February 2027 and accounting at 60% on 27 October 2027. Tourism phase 3 follows on 2 January 2028, and the Nitaqat cycle runs to December 2028. The Saudization 2027 page separates what is confirmed from what is not yet announced.

How can an employer check which rules apply?

1. List every employee by registered occupation code, not internal job title. The job title mapping guide shows how.
2. Compare each group against the profession rules in the table above, noting the threshold and salary floor.
3. Check your Nitaqat band on Qiwa; see the Nitaqat calculator page.
4. Note every effective date in the calendar.
5. Work through the 90-day readiness checklist, then use how to meet Saudization targets to close any gap.

This page describes what the rules say. It is not legal advice, and employers should confirm their position with the MHRSD decision text and a qualified Saudi adviser.