RIYADH: Procurement specialists, purchasing managers and warehouse managers are among 12 professions now subject to a 70 percent Saudization requirement in the Kingdom.
The move marks the start of the implementation of a Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development decision aimed at expanding employment opportunities for Saudi nationals in procurement-related professions and increasing workforce localization across the private sector.
In a release, the ministry said the decision is intended to support national talent and increase job opportunities across sectors, in line with labor market strategy targets and the future needs of the procurement sector.
The move forms part of a broader push to increase localization rates across industries as Saudi Arabia seeks to advance its Vision 2030 objectives of boosting private-sector employment and reducing reliance on expatriate labor.
“The regulatory teams at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development have begun following up on the implementation of the decision at the targeted establishments, and verifying their compliance with the specified percentages and the localization of the targeted professions,” the ministry stated.
The remaining covered professions include purchasing representatives, contract managers, as well as warehouse keepers and logistics services managers.
The list also includes tender specialists, e-commerce specialists, market research specialists, warehouse specialists and private-label sourcing specialists.
The procurement localization decision was announced earlier under Ministerial Resolution No. 77050, with the procedural guide published on Jan. 1, 2025.
The implementation date was set for May 31, 2026, marking the start of official enforcement on targeted private-sector establishments.
The localization requirement applies to private-sector establishments employing three or more workers in the covered professions, according to the professional definitions and job titles approved under the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations.
Companies that fail to comply with the rules after the end of the specified grace period will face legal penalties, the ministry said.
The procurement localization decision follows a series of recent Saudization measures introduced across the private sector.
In April, authorities began localizing tourism professions at rates of 100 percent, 70 percent and 50 percent depending on the role, while marketing and sales professions were raised to 60 percent for establishments with three or more workers.
In January, the second phase of dental profession localization raised the Saudization rate to 55 percent, with Saudi dentists required to earn at least SR9,000 ($2,398.46) a month and hold valid professional accreditation to count toward the quota.
The measure forms part of the ministry’s wider program to raise localization rates across professions and align employment opportunities with the number of Saudi jobseekers in relevant specializations, while supporting future workforce requirements in procurement and related fields.
