Calculate your establishment's Saudization rate and how many Saudis you need to reach the rate required for your activity. The calculator shows the gap and two ways to close it.
No signup
Free
Per Saudi labour law
The required rate depends on your business activity and size, and you can find it in your Qiwa account. Nitaqat gives some categories extra weight, so its figure may differ from a simple headcount.
Current Saudization rate
30%
Total employees20
Gap to targetMet
Saudis to hire0
Or reduce non-Saudis by0
This is a simple headcount. Nitaqat gives some categories extra weight, and the required rate depends on activity and size. Your official band is the one shown in your Qiwa account.
Disclaimer: This calculator gives an estimate based on common cases under the Saudi Labor Law and its Executive Regulations.
It is not binding legal or financial advice.
The final amount depends on each employee's contract and circumstances, and regulations may change.
For a definitive figure, check the Saudi Labor Law or ask a qualified specialist.
Barez accepts no liability for decisions based on this result.
Free tools
How it's calculated
01
The Saudization rate equals the number of Saudi employees divided by total employees, multiplied by one hundred.
02
The required rate is not the same for every establishment. It depends on activity and size, and you can find it in your establishment's Qiwa account.
03
There are two ways to close a gap: hire Saudis, or reduce non-Saudi headcount. The tool works out the number needed for each.
04
Nitaqat does not count every Saudi employee equally. Some categories carry extra weight, so the official figure may differ slightly from a simple headcount.
The guide
A guide to Saudization rates and Nitaqat bands
Last updated: 29 July 2026
What Nitaqat is and why your band matters
Nitaqat is a programme run by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. It measures how well establishments meet workforce localisation requirements, and places each one in a band based on its Saudization rate compared with the rate required for its activity and size.
Your band has real consequences. In a higher band, an establishment can issue visas and transfer workers' services with ease. In a lower band, it faces restrictions that can stall expansion and block new recruitment altogether.
How the rate is computed
The basic calculation is Saudi employees divided by total employees. An establishment with six Saudis and fourteen non-Saudis has twenty employees and a Saudization rate of thirty percent.
The official Nitaqat figure is not always a simple count, though. The programme gives certain categories extra weight. So the figure in your Qiwa account is the one that counts, and any calculator gives only a quick estimate for planning.
The required rate differs by activity
There is no single Saudization rate for everyone. Contracting has a different requirement from retail, and a small establishment has a different one from a large establishment in the same activity.
So start by finding the rate required of you in your own establishment's account, instead of taking a general figure from an article. Then enter it in the calculator to see where you stand.
Two routes to closing the gap
If your rate is below the requirement, you have two options. The first is hiring Saudis. This adds to both the Saudi count and the total, so it takes more hires than many people expect. The second is reducing non-Saudi headcount. This lowers only the total, so the rate moves with fewer people.
The calculator gives both numbers so you can compare. A mix of the two is usually cheaper than relying on either alone.
A third option does not show up in the numbers. If your establishment's activity classification no longer matches what the business actually does, review it, because the required rate is based on it.
Keeping the rate once you reach it
Bands are measured continuously, not once a year. An establishment that reaches the rate one month and loses two Saudi employees the next can drop a full band.
So check the rate every month and link it to your hiring plan and expected departures. If you know a Saudi employee is leaving in two months, you can hire ahead of time. If you only find out after your band has dropped, you pay the cost before you can act.
Free tools
Frequently asked questions
How is the Saudization rate computed?
The number of Saudi employees divided by the total number of employees, Saudi and non-Saudi, multiplied by one hundred.
What rate is required for my establishment?
It depends on the economic activity and the size of the establishment. The rate that applies to you is in your Qiwa account, and that is the one to go by, not a general table.
What is Nitaqat and what do its bands mean?
Nitaqat classifies establishments by how far they meet the Saudization rate required for their activity and size. Higher bands bring advantages in issuing visas and transferring services. Lower bands bring restrictions.
Why does my Qiwa rate differ from this tool?
Because Nitaqat gives extra weight to certain categories, such as employees with disabilities, so they count for more. This tool gives the simple figure as a quick estimate. It does not replace your Qiwa account.
Do trainees and part-time staff count?
How staff who are not full-time are counted depends on the contract type and GOSI registration. Check how each category is classified in your establishment's account before relying on a manual calculation.
Free tools
Official sources
Article numbers above refer to the Saudi Labor Law and its Executive Regulations. Rates and rules are subject to change, so refer to the official source whenever in doubt.