Saudi Private Sector Jobs Grow as Nitaqat Expands

Saudi business groups reported continued growth in private-sector hiring during 2026, as the Kingdom's jobs market posted a 1% rise in the second quarter of 2026 while the wider Gulf region fell 3%. The steady momentum reflects strong business confidence and ongoing investment across the economy.

The Nitaqat program entered a new phase in January 2026, targeting 340,000 additional private-sector jobs for Saudi nationals over three years. Alongside this, Saudization was expanded in 2026 to cover 69 additional professions at 100% Saudi employment, with enforcement beginning 5 April 2026. Engineering professions were set at 30% Saudization, and dental professions in the private sector rose to 55% from 27 January 2026.

The 2026 rules also established a minimum monthly salary of SR8,000 for certain private-sector and non-profit roles, part of efforts to make private-sector jobs more attractive to Saudi nationals.

The Human Resources Development Fund said it helped more than 560,000 Saudis secure private-sector jobs in 2025, investing SR8.296 billion in training and empowerment programs. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, 143,000 Saudis were placed into private-sector roles, backed by SR1.83 billion in support programs.

Why it matters

For residents and job seekers, the changes signal expanding opportunities and clearer standards across sectors ranging from engineering to healthcare. The labor market continues to be supported by Vision 2030 projects, domestic investment, infrastructure, and logistics development. Business confidence remained strong in 2026, with Saudi CEOs signaling higher hiring expectations and many planning major acquisitions during the year.

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