How to Find a Job in Saudi Arabia in 2025

Finding a job in Saudi Arabia or anywhere when you do not have a plan of action is hectic and disappointing. Saudi Arabia’s 41.6% of expatriates residing in Saudi Arabia are mainly coming from South Asian countries. These people leave their families behind for a better future. Saudi Arabia welcomes everyone with open arms and provides them with opportunities to build their careers.

Saudi Arabia’s landscape is changing and it’s evolving like never before. I have seen Saudi Arabia change from residency booklets to digital QR code-based residence permits. In 2024, people from worldwide now want to move to Saudi Arabia for investments or jobs. Many people ask me about how can we land a decent job or any job in Saudi Arabia. I have tried to explain in detail in this article and I hope it helps.

Disclaimer: I do not encourage any illegal ways of acquiring work permits or residence permits. In this article, I have taken examples based on my market research to explain the ground realities. Any person who claims to have read this article and did any illegal activity will be solely their responsibility.

Understanding Localization or Saudization

Saudi Arabia is the only GCC country where expats are less in numbers than the citizens and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman is keen to engage Saudi youth to join the workforce in the private sector. A program called nitaqat (نطاقات) was launched in 2013 to include Saudi citizens in the workforce.

The program forced private companies and establishments to hire at least one Saudi citizen on each of nine (9) foreigners or expat employees. This number was later reduced to three (3) foreign workers requiring at least one Saudi citizen. This means if a company has 100 employees, they are forced to include 33% of Saudi citizens as a minimum. Moreover, the program offers the classification of companies in three colored schemes.

1. Red: If a company fails to hire a certain number of Saudi citizens, their nitaqat score will fall under the Red category. In this scenario, all government services will be halted, moreover, the company will be barred from renewing the residencies of its foreign workers. In this category, other essential government services will also be halted until a certain number of Saudi citizens are hired by a company.
2. Yellow: In this category, the company will be able to operate but with limited government services until they do not fulfill the nitaqat score requirement. In this category, the company will be able to access essential government services but will not be able to issue new visas or renew residencies for their current foreign workers.
3. Green: This has three (3) sub-categories. Low Green, Mid-Green, High Green. In this category, the range of percentage of Saudi citizens is between 30% to 40%. Companies falling under any green category will be able to access all government services smoothly without facing any issues.
4. Platinum: By its name, this is the VIP category of nitaqat. In this category, the companies are generally comprised of more than 50% of the Saudi citizens. Companies falling under this category enjoy different perks from the government for achieving the maximum number of Saudi workforce.

Now the reason why I explained the above categories is that the companies are forced to hire Saudi citizens instead of expats. Despite the qualification or experience of any expat worker, if a position is reserved in a Saudi citizen quota. No expat will be allowed to work on that.

However, there is an exception for expats married to Saudi citizens. They are exclusively allowed to work and get hired in positions that are reserved for Saudis. Expats married to Saudi citizens do not need employer sponsorship since their spouses sponsor them. This is another topic to discuss later 😉

Now you know when you see a position on a website saying (Saudi Nationals Only) is a necessity for a company to operate within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

How can expats still find jobs in Saudi Arabia?

Despite the Saudization, the number of ex-pats in the workforce still exceeds the number of Saudi nationals. There are roughly 56000 new expat workers who joined the labor market in 2023. This shows that there are opportunities for expats and people are getting employed. But how? I will try to explain the methods that I know of or have used.

Finding Your Niche

I have come across several young fresh grads coming to Saudi Arabia on work visas in search of better jobs with practically no skills. When you ask them what will you do? their answer is typical ‘Anything’. Well, in 2024, and in a competitive market there is no such work called ‘Anything’. You need to be sure of your niche and need to figure out your target companies where you are going to apply for jobs.

Many people who come for blue-collar jobs complain that they were told a different job in their home country by a recruitment agency but when they landed in Saudi Arabia they were given odd jobs other than what they were promised in their respective home country by the recruitment agency. This is usually because of exploitation and not knowing your niche.

If you are a barber, you will know that I will be working in a Salon or might be able to open a barbershop. This is why knowing your niche and having a skill is very important if you are willing to move to Saudi Arabia or any other country for that matter.

Getting Directly Hired on a Job in Saudi Arabia:

if you are an expat with exceptional talent, qualifications, or experience, there are chances that you might get approached by Saudi employers and you may land a decent job without even coming to Saudi Arabia. This applies to industry professionals, who have extensive experience in their respective domains. Researchers, doctors, engineers, university professors, religious scholars, and any other professional who has considerably extensive experience in their field.

For freshers or those with associate-level experiences, I suggest staying in touch with local recruitment agencies in their respective countries that offer foreign jobs. These recruitment agencies hire local Saudi businesses on their behalf to bring quality human resources from outside the Kingdom.

This process sometimes is very slow, or done through foreign or local recruitment agencies. For example, if there is a new hospital in a small town where doctors are required, the employer in Saudi Arabia will hire a local recruitment agency to find them doctors and then the local recruitment agency will contact their foreign offices or agents to do the job. So, if you are looking to get a job before arriving in Saudi Arabia, this might be your way.

Applying After Arrival for Job in Saudi Arabia:

Now I will discuss the two mainstream methods that most people use to find a suitable job in Saudi Arabia. There are recruitment agencies in foreign countries that allow people to bear the visa costs and in return, they provide them a legal work permit and a residence permit through a local employer to land in Saudi Arabia legally.

After the arrival, the person will start looking for a job, and if he gets an offer within the valid period of the residency they transfer their sponsorship to the new employer.

Let me be very clear here, this practice is considered illegal by the government of Saudi Arabia. There are hefty fines and huge penalties for all parties involved in this activity. I do not encourage this practice because it involves a lot of risk. if you don’t find a job, you end up in debt because once your residence permit expires, your sponsor will not bear the cost of renewal.

Many people with great qualifications end up doing odd jobs like food delivery, restaurant waiters, and construction labor jobs which pay daily. There is no harm in doing these jobs, but you pay for the visa cost of approximately 10,000 SAR in hopes of finding a job. But if you don’t just for survival you settle for something less.

This is not a smart decision at all. It is okay to work in odd jobs but it is not okay to pay hefty visa fees and end up working daily. It would be better if you could do such jobs in your own country rather than coming to a foreign land where people don’t even speak your language and you are not completely aware of the local laws.

Applying Online for a Job in Saudi Arabia:

Anyways, if you have already arrived in Saudi Arabia with a legal residence & work permit, you are legally allowed to find jobs in the job market and transfer your sponsorship legally. Finding a job online is one of the traditional ways in this era. However, I have noticed that people make a lot of mistakes doing that. They think that since they have been applying for jobs in the company’s career portals, LinkedIn, and Indeed, and emailing their Resume it will get them the job right away.

There are more than 15 arab and Asian nationalities residing in Saudi Arabia, for each job opening there is a competition of at least forty (40) people applying from these nationalities. To increase your chances of getting hired, you need to stand out. By only applying or dropping your CV online will only end up in disappointment.

You need to stand out from the crowd, to attract the recruiter’s attention. How can you do that? I can tell you the way that I used and worked for me three times.

Using LinkedIn in a Smart Way:

LinkedIn is a great networking tool, not just for applying for jobs but for connecting with the right people as well. One thing that I do if I am applying for a job whether I apply on LinkedIn or a company portal.

So the first thing is to apply for a position that aligns with your profile. Once you have applied, now try to find an official LinkedIn page of that company and look for the employees or the people tab. This window will show you all the people working in that company.

Now you need to find the HR or the hiring manager. A hiring manager is someone who has published the job and the position will be reporting to him/her. For example, if you are applying for the position of Sales Representative, the hiring manager would be the Sales Manager.

When you find the right person, add them to your connection. Make sure that you add them not just follow them and wait for them to accept your invitation to be added to your network.

If they accept your invitation, greet them with a professional message share a summary of your profile, and express your interest in the position that you have applied for. with your resume in a PDF attachment with the link to the job you have applied for.

Now this is something that will make you stand out from the the crowd. The HR manager or the hiring manager will know that there is someone who has put effort into finding them on LinkedIn. This shows commitment, courage, and confidence in you. Don’t get disappointed if you don’t get a response. Keep practicing this as a part of your job search online. I will share a sample of the message that I have used many times.

Dear [Hiring Manager / HR Manager name]

It’s great connecting with you. I am writing this to express my interest in the [Position Name] position in Jeddah. I came across this position at the [Company Name] career site and applied for it. The position reports to Area Sales Manager and assuming you are based in [city name], you could be the hiring manager for this position.

To introduce myself, I will start with my academics, I graduated with a [ Your Qualification ] with my diplomas in [ Your diploma or certification name] from [Your University or College]. I bring (number of) years of hands-on experience in the [Your industry] with the majority of it gained with a [Your majority of Experience at]. I have worked through different core functions such as [Your previous roles]. I am currently working as a [Your Current Job] with a renowned [company name] based in [City name].

I am excited to see this opportunity and would like to request to please consider my profile for this position. . Attaching my resume for your kind review.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Regards
Mohammad Bilal Qureshi

Applying Offline for a Job in Saudi Arabia:

Internet is a great source but the traditional approach is still effective. Applying offline means you go door to door dropping your resume at reception in hopes of finding a suitable job. To do this you will need energy and patience because it’s a tiring process.

Always try to list your target companies and ensure that you apply for jobs that align with your academic qualifications or experience. You can print your resume in bulk and drop them at the reception of offices in any commercial complex. It is like cold calling and you are trying to make a sale. Try to note down the companies that you drop your resume at and try to apply the above LinkedIn method.

Referrals are a great way to get hired. If you have friends or relatives who are working in any company they might be able to help you refer your resume to the HR or the hiring manager for consideration. I would suggest that before handing out your resume to everyone you know, do your research about the company where your connection works. Try to find out if they are hiring for any position that aligns with your qualifications or experience. If you do find something only then involve your connection in asking them for a referral.

Your Resume/CV and Interview Tips:

A resume or a CV is your ticket to the interview table. It does not guarantee that if you have a picture-perfect resume you will surely land a decent job. I will share a few tips on preparing a resume and for the interview.

Your resume should align with you target jobs that you are applying for online. There are ATS (automated tracking systems) in place with most of the career websites. If your CV does not have relevant keywords with the job you have applied. The ATS will disregard your application and send you an automated rejection response. So make sure that you use the correct keywords in your experience sections and skills section for the ATS to read and shortlist your profile for the recruiter review.

You can find my job CV / Resume template by clicking here

Sections like Hobbies and Interests, Objective, Summary, Personal Information like Date of birth, complete address, iqama or passport number, and references are obsolete. No one has time to go through so much unnecessary information. Your resume should be to the point without any unnecessary information.

You should always have an official email address with your name. Do not use any flashy or childish emails just because you are using them. I use, Bilal.qureshi@******.com. This presents your professionalism.

Once you have secured an interview, make sure to arrive at the venue or join the interview call 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. Be prepared with the questions relevant to the job. Never backbite about your previous or current employer. Do not discuss any salary expectations or negotiations with the hiring team until you get an offer letter.

You may mention your salary expectation or your current salary if asked, in a range number like 7000 to 9000 SAR. if the recruiter says do you have any questions, do ask. Remember HR is there to protect the interest of the company, they will try to negotiate for the lowest of their budgets and you need to negotiate a better deal for yourself. When you receive the job offer letter, do not settle for the first offer unless it matches or exceeds your expectations.

Things to Consider after Getting Hired in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi labor market is completely digitized. Once you have signed an offer letter and accepted a job offer you need to make sure your rights are protected.

When you are hired at a company, you will receive a digital acceptance request from the new employer on the Qiwa platform. This will include your job contract and complete details of your rights and responsibilities as well as your employer’s. Make sure to read it carefully before accepting the request. This will initiate your sponsorship transfer process request as well.

After you are transferred to your new employer, make sure that they enroll you in GOSI (General Organization of Social Insurance) with your correct salary as per your job contract. This is where many small to medium companies scam their employees because the salary mentioned in GOSI is what a company will be liable to pay you every month. If not paid or paid less the authority will question the employer.

Your employer is responsible for the payments of iqama transfers, renewal of your iqama, and any fines related to your residence. Usually, the companies only pay 2000 SAR for the transfer fees and ask the employee to pay for the rest of the fees if it’s a 2nd or 3rd transfer.

The medical insurance for you and your dependants is the responsibility of your employer and they cannot ask for any financial compensation for this. Even if your job contract is on single status, the employer must provide medical insurance for your dependants if they have residence permits or iqama.

Read: How to Apply for Family Iqama Visa: Complete Guide