Riyadh: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced the implementation of decisions to raise Saudization rates in various sectors, effective today, Sunday, July 27, 2025, in partnership with supervisory entities including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, targeting the professions of pharmacy, dentistry, and technical engineering.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the rate increase aims to enhance the participation of national talent and provide more productive and attractive job opportunities for Saudis across the Kingdom.
The decision to raise Saudization rates in pharmacy professions, implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, includes targets of 35% in community pharmacies and medical complexes, 65% in hospital pharmacy activities, and 55% in other pharmacy-related activities. It applies to establishments with five or more employees working in pharmacy professions and sets a minimum salary of SAR7,000 for a position to count toward the Saudization percentage.
Likewise, the decision to raise the Saudization rate in dentistry professions to 45% in its first phase also takes effect today. It applies to establishments employing three or more individuals in dentistry professions and raises the minimum salary for inclusion in the Saudization calculation to SAR9,000.
The decision to raise the Saudization rate for technical engineering professions, in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, sets a 30% Saudization requirement for the targeted jobs. It applies to all private sector establishments employing five or more individuals in technical engineering professions, with a minimum salary of SAR5,000 for inclusion in the Saudization rate.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development emphasized that it has published detailed procedural guides on its official website to clarify the specifics of the decision and the required Saudization rates. It urged all establishments to comply to avoid statutory penalties for non-compliance.
This decision is part of ongoing efforts to localize jobs in the private sector. The Ministry of Health is responsible for overseeing the implementation of Saudization in dentistry and pharmacy professions in line with labor market needs, while the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing monitors its implementation in technical engineering professions. Private sector establishments will benefit from support and incentive programs offered by the Human Resources and Social Development system, including recruitment, training, qualification, employment, and retention assistance, as well as priority access to Saudization support programs and the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf).