Saudization (Nitaqat) in 2026: What Changed
Saudization is not a form you file once a year. Your Nitaqat band decides whether you can issue visas, renew work permits and Iqamas, and use core government services. In 2026 the rules for what counts tightened, and getting caught out is easier than employers expect. Here is what changed and what to do about it.
Saudization vs Nitaqat
The two terms get used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Saudization is the national policy: the goal of increasing the share of Saudi nationals in private sector employment. Nitaqat is the programme that measures and enforces it: the system that scores your company and places you in a coloured band.
Bands, and how you are scored
Every private sector employer is placed in a band based on the share of Saudi nationals in its workforce, judged against other companies of similar size and sector. From strongest to weakest, the bands are Platinum, then High, Mid and Low Green, and then Red. The old Yellow band has been removed, so companies now sit in Platinum, one of the green tiers, or Red.
Scoring is relative and continuous, not a once a year snapshot: your position moves as you hire, as staff leave, and as the benchmarks shift. The exact Saudization percentage you need depends on your sector and size, and the thresholds are updated over time, so the right approach is to track your position continuously rather than aim at a fixed number.
Your Saudi employees only count if they are documented on Qiwa
The most important shift in the current cycle: a Saudi employee only counts toward your Saudization if their employment contract is documented on the Qiwa platform. A Saudi national on your payroll whose contract is not properly documented on Qiwa no longer improves your Nitaqat position. This took effect in 2026, and it has caught out employers who assumed that simply employing Saudis was enough. Documentation, not just employment, is now what counts.
Key point. Employing Saudi nationals is no longer sufficient on its own. If their contracts are not documented on Qiwa, they do not count toward your Nitaqat band.
What your band controls
Nitaqat gates your operations. A weak (Red) band can block you from issuing new work visas and from renewing work permits and Iqamas for your existing expatriate staff, and it restricts access to core government services. Stronger bands, Platinum and the higher green tiers, get the opposite: reduced fees, faster processing, and more room to bring in the talent you need. In practice, your Nitaqat band can quietly decide whether you can staff a project at all.
Active management, not once a year panic
Monitor your band: we track your Nitaqat position continuously and flag risk before it becomes a problem. Plan your hiring: we model how each Saudi or expatriate hire, exit or departure moves your position.
Make it count on Qiwa: we ensure every Saudi employee is properly documented so they actually count. Keep you ahead of changes: when quotas or rules shift, we adjust your plan rather than react after the fact.
Related: Saudization (Nitaqat) and HR Compliance.
Frequently asked
How is my Nitaqat band calculated?
It is based on the share of Saudi nationals in your workforce, measured against comparable companies in your sector and size range, and updated continuously.
Do my Saudi employees count automatically?
No. In the current cycle a Saudi employee only counts if their contract is documented on Qiwa.
Is there still a Yellow band?
No. The Yellow band has been removed. Companies sit in Platinum, a green tier, or Red.
What happens if I fall into the Red band?
You can lose the ability to issue new work visas and to renew permits and Iqamas for existing staff, and access to some government services is restricted.
What Saudization percentage do I need?
It depends on your sector and size, and the thresholds change. We calculate your target and track your position for you.
Ready to talk it through?
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