Last updated: 8 November 2026
Technical engineering Saudization is going up from 30% to 35%. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing announced on 8 November 2026 that private companies must fill 35% of 94 technical engineering jobs with Saudi nationals from 9 May 2027. The rule covers companies with 5 or more workers in these jobs.
If you work in Saudi Arabia as a civil, electrical or mechanical technician, a surveyor or a draftsman, this decision is about your job title. It does not ban expat technicians. It raises the minimum share of Saudis that your employer must have in these roles, and companies have six months to adjust.
Technical engineering Saudization at a glance
- Who decided: HRSD, in partnership with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.
- New rate: 35% of workers in the targeted technical engineering jobs must be Saudi. The current rate, in force since 27 July 2025, is 30%.
- Jobs covered: 94 technical engineering professions under the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations.
- Who is covered: all private-sector companies with 5 or more workers in these jobs. The share is counted across the whole company, not branch by branch.
- Start date: 9 May 2027.
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Which technical jobs are covered
HRSD names these jobs in its announcement:
- Civil engineering technician
- Electrical engineering technician
- Mechanical engineering technician
- Electronics engineering technician
- Surveying technician
- Mechanical maintenance technician
- Architectural draftsman
The rest of the 94 are other technical engineering roles, such as quantity surveyors, land surveyors and laboratory technicians. The full list with occupation codes is in the procedural guide on the HRSD website. The quickest way to know if you are affected is to check the profession on your work permit and contract in Qiwa.
How the 35% is worked out
The share is counted only on workers in the targeted technical jobs. Engineers, admin staff, drivers and cleaners are not part of this count. A simple example: a contractor with 20 technicians needs 7 Saudi technicians at 35%. At today’s 30% it needs 6.
Under the current procedural guide (HRSD resolution 103105 of January 2025), a few more rules apply. The new guide may update them, so employers should read it before May 2027:
- A Saudi technician counts only if his or her registered GOSI wage is at least SAR 5,000 a month.
- Technicians must hold professional accreditation from the Saudi Council of Engineers to be counted.
- The rule applies to the job title and the actual work. Giving a technician a different title does not take the job out of the rule.
- Compliance is checked automatically from the job titles in GOSI, and it applies on top of Nitaqat. Where another decision sets a higher rate for the same job, the higher rate applies.
Saudization also feeds into the company’s Nitaqat colour. A company in red can be blocked from new visas and iqama services, which affects every expat on its file. For how Saudi pay counts in Nitaqat, see our guide to the Nitaqat minimum wage of SAR 5,000.
What expat technicians should do now
- Do not panic. The rule does not end your job. It asks your company to have at least 35% Saudis in these roles by May 2027.
- Check your profession in Qiwa. Log in and see the job title on your contract and work permit. Our Qiwa login guide shows how.
- Ask HR where the company stands. If it already has enough Saudi technicians, your position is not affected by this decision.
- Keep your papers in order. A valid iqama and an up-to-date contract make a transfer easier if your employer reduces expat technicians. Our iqama fees guide lists the yearly costs.
- Build your options. Saudi Council of Engineers accreditation, a clear CV and a legal transfer route all help. See our Saudi CV format and 10 ways to find a job in Saudi Arabia.
What employers need to do before 9 May 2027
- Count all workers in the 94 targeted jobs across the company and work out 35% of that number.
- Plan hiring and training of Saudi technicians. HRSD says companies get support for recruitment, training, qualification, employment and job retention, plus priority in its Saudization support programmes.
- Make sure every job title in GOSI and Qiwa matches the work done.
- Check your Nitaqat band and your Qiwa company size after the change.
Timeline of technical engineering Saudization
- 26 January 2025: HRSD issues resolution 103105 on technical engineering professions, with a six-month grace period.
- 27 July 2025: the 30% rate starts for companies with 5 or more workers in these jobs.
- 8 November 2026: HRSD and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing announce the rise to 35% for 94 jobs.
- 9 May 2027: the 35% rate applies.
Penalties for companies that do not comply
The current procedural guide says a company that misses the required share, or gives the work of a Saudized job to a non-Saudi under another title, faces the Saudization penalties in HRSD resolutions 75913 and 44558. Neither the guide nor the 8 November announcement lists the amounts, so employers should check the penalty schedule with HRSD. For workers, the practical risk is indirect: a company under penalty can lose access to visa and iqama services, which is why it is worth knowing where your employer stands.
Part of a wider Saudization push
This is one of several Saudization steps in 2026. Gym Saudization starts on 18 November, accounting jobs rose to 50% in October (accounting Saudization), procurement jobs are at 70% (procurement Saudization) and project management Saudization reaches 70% in February 2027. For pay levels by sector, see our Saudi salary guide.
Frequently asked questions
When does the 35% technical engineering Saudization start?
On 9 May 2027. Until then the current rate of 30% applies.
How many jobs are covered?
94 technical engineering professions, including civil, electrical, mechanical and electronics technicians, surveyors, mechanical maintenance technicians and architectural draftsmen.
Does it apply to small companies?
Only companies with 5 or more workers in the targeted technical jobs are covered.
Can expat technicians still work in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. The decision sets a 35% minimum for Saudis in these jobs. It is not a ban on foreign technicians.
Sources: Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announcement (8 November 2026); HRSD procedural manual for technical engineering professions (2025); Saudi Gazette and Sabq reports (8 November 2026).