Saudi Arabia: New Saudization Quotas and Premium Residency Work Permit Requirements

From the 30th June 2026 updated Saudization requirements will apply to specific professions for foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia. The Government will also introduce a new requirement that work permits are required for those holding Premium Residency.

Employment & Compliance Updates

Engineering Professions

• Effective 30 June 2026, engineering professions will be subject to a 30% Saudization requirement. A minimum monthly salary of SAR 8,000 will apply for Saudi nationals counted towards the localisation target.

Procurement Professions

• From 31 May 2026, Saudization requirements for covered procurement roles have increased to 70%.

Marketing & Sales Professions

• Effective 19 April 2026 Saudization requirements for covered marketing and sales professions have increased to 60%.

Administrative Support Roles

• An additional 69 administrative support positions are now subject to 100% Saudization, including a range of secretarial, clerical, translation, data entry and administrative support roles.

GOSI & Health Insurance Integration

• The Saudi authorities are continuing the integration of GOSI (General Organisation for Social Insurance) and health insurance systems to improve employment data verification and ensure employees’ health insurance remains aligned with their employment and social insurance status.
• GOSI will not become the health insurance provider. The integration is designed solely to improve validation and continuity of employee health insurance coverage.

Premium Residency Work Permit Requirement

• Effective from June 2026, individuals holding Premium Residency in Saudi Arabia are required to obtain a dedicated work permit through the Qiwa platform before commencing employment. Previously, Premium Residency holders were permitted to work without obtaining a separate work permit.
• This new requirement introduces an additional compliance step for employers onboarding Premium Residency holders. Employment contracts must continue to be registered through Qiwa, and employees must remain registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI).
• While the new requirement is now in effect, guidance relating to existing Premium Residency holders remains unclear, including whether they will also be required to obtain a work permit and, if so, the timeframe for compliance. Employers should review their onboarding procedures and internal compliance processes to ensure any employees holding Premium Residency meet the latest requirements.

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