By Saudi Arabia is expanding its Saudization programme to cover all engineering professions in the private sector, according to Ajel News. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced the decision in partnership with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.
The number of technical engineering professions targeted for localisation rises from 45 to 94, with a Saudization rate set at 35 percent for those roles. Implementation begins on May 9, 2027, and the decision applies to all private sector establishments employing five or more workers in the targeted professions. Enforcement will be at the entity level, according to the procedural guide.
What the expansion covers
The move takes Saudization from a partial list of engineering roles to the full spectrum of engineering professions in the private sector. The 35 percent rate means that for every 100 workers in the 94 targeted technical engineering professions, at least 35 must be Saudi nationals once the policy takes effect.
The entity level enforcement point matters for compliance planning. Rather than measuring each job title separately, establishments will be assessed across the combined headcount of all targeted engineering professions. This gives employers some flexibility in how they meet the overall ratio, but it also means underperformance in one area cannot be offset by overperformance in unrelated roles outside the 94 professions.
Why the threshold of five workers matters
The decision applies only to private sector establishments employing five or more workers in the targeted professions. Smaller employers fall outside the immediate scope. HR teams should confirm how the threshold is calculated under the procedural guide, particularly where an establishment has fewer than five engineering staff but operates within a larger corporate group.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has not yet published the full procedural guide in English at the time of writing. Employers should monitor official ministry channels for the guide, which will set out how headcount is counted, how part time and contract workers are treated, and what evidence is required for compliance.
What this means for HR and payroll teams
HR teams in Saudi Arabia should start workforce planning now, even though implementation is more than two years away. The lead time is significant, but the talent pipeline for Saudi engineering graduates takes years to build. Employers will need to review current engineering headcount, identify gaps against the 35 percent target, and develop recruitment or training plans.
Payroll teams should prepare for changes to how engineering roles are classified in their systems. The expansion from 45 to 94 professions means job codes and occupational classifications will need updating. Nitaqat compliance reporting, which already tracks Saudization by entity, will need to reflect the new profession list once the procedural guide is issued.
HR expert Hisham Al-Sulaimani told Al-Ikhbariya radio that “increasing the number of technical engineering professions targeted for localization in the private sector from 45 to 94 will enhance employment opportunities for Saudi nationals and help reduce unemployment rates, noting that the decision covers all engineering professions.” He said the expansion will boost national employment and reduce joblessness.
Timeline and next steps
| Milestone | Date or status |
|---|---|
| Announcement | Confirmed by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development |
| Implementation begins | May 9, 2027 |
| Professions covered | 94 technical engineering professions |
| Saudization rate | 35 percent |
| Scope | Private sector establishments with five or more workers in targeted professions |
| Enforcement level | Entity level |
The initiative sits within the Labor Market Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030, which aim to promote localisation of specialised professions, empower national talent, and increase participation in the labour market. Employers should treat the May 2027 date as the point when compliance becomes mandatory, not the point when planning should begin.
Practical steps for employers
The first step is an internal audit of current engineering headcount against the 94 professions. Establishments should identify which roles fall within the expanded list and calculate their current Saudization ratio. Where the ratio is below 35 percent, the gap defines the recruitment or development need.
The second step is to review recruitment channels. Saudi engineering graduates come through universities and technical colleges, and employers with structured graduate programmes will be better positioned to meet the target. Partnerships with local universities can create a pipeline before the deadline.
The third step is to monitor the procedural guide. The guide will set out how compliance is measured, what exemptions may apply, and how enforcement will work in practice. Employers should not assume the rules will mirror existing Saudization programmes for other sectors, as the entity level enforcement point may create different compliance dynamics.
Sources: english.ajel
Photo: 10-16-1945 blueprint room (7846598472) by NAVFAC, CC BY 2.0
