First phase of Saudisation for these private healthcare jobs begins

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, has launched the initial phase of increased Saudisation across fourkey healthcare professions within the private sector.

The implementation came into effect on April 17, as reported by Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The decision aligns with the kingdom’s wider strategy to boost local employment and enhance workforce participation in the health sector, ensuring that employment regulations correspond to officially recognised professional definitions and titles.

Saudisation targets announced for healthcare roles

This first phase mandates specific Saudisation rates for jobs in the following healthcare areas:

1. Radiology: 65 per cent
2. Clinical nutrition: 80 per cent
3. Physiotherapy: 80 per cent
4. Medical laboratory: 70 per cent

To support national talent attraction and retention, the minimum monthly salary has been set at SAR 7,000 for specialists and SAR 5,000 for technicians working in these roles.

Initial phase coverage and scope

The current implementation applies to all private sector establishments, regardless of size, operating in the major cities of Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Dammam, and Al-Khobar.

In addition, large and mega-sized companies located in other regions of the kingdom are also included in this initial rollout.

The second phase of the initiative is scheduled to commence on October 17, and will cover remaining establishments across the country, further expanding the Saudisation programme’s reach.

Compliance and enforcement

The ministry emphasised that comprehensive procedural guidelines are now available on its official website, offering detailed information on the decision and its associated Saudisation percentages.

Employers are strongly urged to comply with the regulations to avoid potential legal penalties.