Saudi Arabia: Saudization Compliance Alert

Key Update   

• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will require all Saudi employee contracts to be documented on the Qiwa platform for inclusion in Saudization calculations beginning April 15, 2026, alongside newly increased documentation‑rate targets.

Saudization Calculation Rules and Qiwa Documentation 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced that, as of April 15, 2026, Saudization (Nitaqat) rates will be calculated only based on Saudi employees whose contracts are electronically documented on the Qiwa platform.

Saudi authorities will no longer count Saudi nationals with undocumented contracts toward a company’s Saudization ratio.

The Ministry has also raised Qiwa documentation targets, requiring employers to meet:

• 85% documentation by April 30, 2026
• 90% documentation by June 30, 2026

Authorities are urging companies to review all outstanding employment contracts and complete documentation on Qiwa to avoid disruptions to compliance‑linked services.

If you require assistance with immigration matters for Saudi Arabia or globally please contact [email protected].

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