Nitaqat 2.0: Is Your Job Safe? Check Your Quota Now
Nitaqat 2.0: 340,000+ new jobs for Saudis, 69 professions 100% Saudi-only. Check if your profession faces quotas and what to do before compliance checks hit.
By Scheme Tools Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026-10-11
🛠️ Nitaqat Job Safety Checker
Select your profession to see the Saudization quota, deadline and whether your role is at risk.
1 What is your profession category?
2 Do you work in the private sector?
3 Is your iqama / work permit currently valid?
Overview
Nitaqat 2.0 is Saudi Arabia's expanded Saudization programme. Phase 2 launched January 22, 2026, targeting 340,000+ new private-sector jobs for Saudi nationals over three years, with 269+ profession-specific Saudization decisions in 2026 alone.
Some professions are now 100% Saudi-only (69 admin-support professions), while others face quotas: marketing and sales at 60%, dentistry at 55%, and 41 tourism professions being phased in. Grace periods have ended — compliance checks are active now.
Use the checker below to see whether your profession is affected, what quota applies, and what deadlines matter. This is an anonymous guide — we collect no personal data.
Note: this is an independent guide, not a government website. Always verify with Qiwa or MHRSD.
The second phase of Saudi Arabia's Saudization programme, requiring private companies to hire specific percentages of Saudi nationals by profession.
Which professions are 100% Saudi-only?
69 admin-support professions are fully Saudized. Marketing/sales faces a 60% quota, dentistry 55%.
I am an expat — will I lose my job?
Not automatically. Quotas apply at company level. Check your profession's quota and talk to your employer's HR.
Where do I verify officially?
On the Qiwa platform (qiwa.sa) or with the Ministry of Human Resources (MHRSD).
Is this a government website?
No. This is an independent guide.
What penalties do companies face for missing their Nitaqat quota?
Companies in low bands lose privileges — they can be blocked from renewing work visas, hiring new expat staff, or transferring employee sponsorships. Persistent non-compliance effectively freezes their ability to manage foreign labour, which is why most employers act well before deadlines.
Can my employer change my job title to avoid the quotas?
Reclassifying a profession to dodge a quota would be misclassification, and MHRSD inspections can detect it. Quotas are tied to the actual profession registered for each worker. If your employer pressures you into a false job title, that is a compliance issue for them — not a legitimate workaround.
How often do the Saudization quotas change?
They are updated regularly — 269 profession-specific Saudization decisions were issued in 2026 alone. New decisions can add professions, raise percentages or adjust grace periods. Treat any quota you read as a snapshot and re-check on Qiwa before making employment decisions.
What is the grace period for a new Saudization decision?
New decisions usually include a transition period before enforcement begins, but the major Nitaqat 2.0 phases that launched in January 2026 have already passed their grace periods and compliance checks are active. For any new decision, the exact deadline is published with the decision itself.
Do small businesses have the same Nitaqat requirements?
Small establishments often fall into different calculation rules — very small firms may be treated differently under the band system. The requirements depend on your company's size category, which your HR department can see on Qiwa. Do not assume the headline quotas apply identically to a 10-person firm.
I'm a Saudi job seeker — how do I find jobs created by Nitaqat 2.0?
Look at the professions with new quotas — marketing, sales, dentistry, tourism and admin support are active targets. The national jobs portal and Qiwa list opportunities, and private-sector employers must now fill these roles with Saudi nationals. Tailor your applications to the newly Saudized professions.
My company is in the red zone — what should I do as an expat employee?
Ask your HR department about their hiring plan; red-zone companies cannot renew or issue new expat visas, so your next renewal could be at risk. Keep your documents in order, understand your contract's end date, and verify the company's band status on Qiwa through your employer — employees cannot check it directly.
Related searches
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