RIYADH, Jan 19 — Saudi Arabia has expanded its workforce localisation drive, announcing higher Saudisation targets across marketing, sales, engineering and procurement professions as part of efforts to boost Saudi participation in the private sector and create higher-quality jobs.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said on Sunday it would raise the Saudisation rate for private-sector marketing and sales professions to 60% at establishments employing three or more workers, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The marketing decision applies to roles including marketing and advertising managers, specialists, designers, public relations professionals and photographers, while the sales measure covers positions such as sales managers, retail and wholesale sales representatives, IT and communications equipment sales specialists and commercial specialists. Both decisions will be implemented three months after the announcement, SPA said.
The ministry said the measures aim to enhance labour market attractiveness, create sustainable employment opportunities and improve job stability for qualified Saudi nationals.
The latest moves build on a series of localisation measures announced in recent months, including decisions issued earlier this year to raise Saudisation targets in engineering and procurement professions.
Under those measures, the ministry increased the Saudisation rate for engineering professions to 30% and raised the minimum monthly wage for Saudi engineers to 8,000 riyals ($2,133) in the private and non-profit sectors, effective Dec. 31, 2025. The decision applies to establishments with five or more employees across 46 engineering roles, including architect, power generation engineer and industrial engineer, with accreditation from the Saudi Council of Engineers required. Enforcement will begin from June 30, 2026.
The ministry also raised the Saudisation target for procurement professions to 70%, effective Nov. 30, 2025. The measure covers establishments employing three or more workers in 12 roles, including procurement manager, contracts manager and warehouse keeper, with a six-month preparation period before enforcement.
According to the ministry, the decisions are based on labour market studies assessing the availability of Saudi job seekers and the future needs of key sectors, and are intended to expand specialised employment opportunities for Saudi men and women while strengthening national participation in strategic industries.
Saudi Arabia has been steadily tightening localisation requirements across the private sector under its Vision 2030 reform programme, as it seeks to reduce reliance on expatriate labour and increase citizen employment. Authorities said further sector-specific Saudisation measures would be introduced in line with labour market demand.
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