Saudi Arabia is set to sharply reduce expatriate employment in its marketing and sales sectors as part of a major push to create more jobs for its own citizens. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced on Monday (19 January) that companies in these two sectors with three or more employees must ensure that at least 60 percent of their staff are Saudi nationals. The ministry has also set a minimum monthly salary of 5,500 riyals for these roles.
Localisation in the Marketing Sector
Under the new rules, 60 percent of employees in private‑sector marketing firms must be Saudi. The decision covers a wide range of positions, including:
- Marketing managers
- Advertising managers
- Advertising agents
- Marketing specialists
- Graphic designers
- Advertising designers
- Public relations roles
The regulation will come into force three months after the official announcement.
Sales Sector Also Targeted for Saudisation
The same localisation requirement applies to the sales sector. Any sales company with three or more employees must ensure 60 percent of its workforce is made up of Saudi citizens. The policy covers roles such as:
- Sales managers
- Retail and wholesale sales representatives
- IT and communications equipment sales specialists
- Sales specialists
- Commercial specialists
This decision will also take effect three months after the announcement.
The move is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader Saudisation strategy, aimed at boosting local employment and reducing reliance on foreign workers in key private‑sector industries.
+ There are no comments
Add yours