In early January 2026, Saudi Arabia introduced significant updates to its Saudization strategy, with a focus on technical professions critical to the Kingdom’s development. Among the key measures is a minimum monthly wage of SAR 8,000 for engineers, designed to attract and retain qualified Saudi nationals in highly specialized roles. These changes aim to increase local workforce participation, particularly in technical, engineering, and HSE-related positions that require specific expertise.
The new policy also requires employers to align their recruitment practices with these minimum wage standards, ensuring that local talent receives fair compensation while meeting the needs of technically demanding roles. By formalizing salary benchmarks, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development seeks to make local employment more appealing and to reduce reliance on expatriate workers for safety-critical and high-skill jobs.
In addition to wage adjustments, the Saudization updates introduce stricter compliance monitoring and reporting requirements for companies in key sectors. These measures are intended to create a more structured approach to workforce localization while simultaneously enhancing occupational safety and quality standards. Officials have emphasized that these steps will help develop a highly skilled national workforce capable of contributing to the Kingdom’s long-term industrial growth and safety objectives.
