Check If Your Saudi Job Is on the 69 Saudized Office Jobs List: Steps for Pakistani Workers
Saudi HRSD made 69 administrative jobs Saudi only from 5 April 2026. Check your Iqama title in 4 steps, what to ask your employer and what rights still apply.
Check the job title on your Iqama against Saudi Arabia's list of 69 administrative jobs now reserved for Saudis. If your title is on the list, your employer cannot lawfully keep you in that job, and you should ask what happens to your contract before your next renewal. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) added the 69 jobs to its 100 percent Saudization list, effective 5 April 2026.
This guide is for Pakistanis who work in Saudi offices, and for people in Pakistan who have been offered an office job in the kingdom. It tells you how to check your title, what to ask your employer, and what to do if the answer is bad.
What HRSD changed for administrative jobs
HRSD's English announcement says it updated the decision on Saudization of administrative support professions in the private sector by adding 69 professions. It says the rule applies to any establishment with one worker or more in those professions. Saudization means that only Saudi citizens may hold the job.
The ministry describes the added roles as secretarial work, clerical work, translation, data entry and administrative support. It says it published an updated procedural guide on its website with the full list and how the rule is applied. It also points employers to the Human Resources Development Fund for recruitment and training support.
The announcement does not say how long employers have for each profession. Several sources outside government report that 19 of the 69 took effect at once and the other 50 had a six month grace period that ended around 4 October 2026. We could not read the ministry's guide to confirm that split, so treat the grace period as reported.
Check your own job title in four steps
Your legal profession is the one printed on your Iqama, the Saudi residence permit, not the one on your business card. That is the title the ministry and employers check against the list.
- Open your Iqama or your Absher profile and note the exact profession printed there.
- Open HRSD's updated procedural guide on hrsd.gov.sa and search for that profession.
- Compare the Arabic title, not only the English one, because the list uses official job codes.
- Write down the result and the date, and keep a screenshot of your Iqama.
If you see the title but you do different work, such as driving or sales, ask your employer to correct the record. Do not ignore it. The title on the Iqama is what counts.
Which kinds of office jobs are affected
HRSD gives the groups, not a short list. Reports of the guide give examples that include secretaries, receptionists, data entry operators, translators, cashiers and storekeepers. These examples are reported, so confirm your own title in the ministry guide.
| Job group | Named by HRSD | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Secretarial and clerical work | Yes | Check the exact title in the guide |
| Translation and language work | Yes | Check the exact title in the guide |
| Data entry | Yes | Check the exact title in the guide |
| Other administrative support | Yes | Check the exact title in the guide |
| Driver, technician, labourer, engineer | Not named in the announcement | Not affected by this decision, unless the guide lists it |
What to ask your employer if your title is on the list
Ask in writing, by WhatsApp or email, so you have a record. Keep the questions short and direct.
- Will my job title be changed on my Iqama, and to what?
- If the title changes, will my salary stay the same?
- If my job ends, will you pay the notice and the end-of-service award?
- If you cannot keep me, will you release my transfer?
An employer cannot cancel your rights by pointing to the list. Your notice, compensation and end-of-service award still apply. The rules are in our guide to being fired in Saudi Arabia, and the award is explained in how to calculate your end-of-service award.
Check that your residence is valid at every step. If your Iqama is close to expiry or your exit re-entry is open, use the Iqama validity checklist before you decide anything.
If you are still in Pakistan and offered an office job
Look at the profession on the visa before you pay an agent. If it is a clerical or administrative title that appears in HRSD's list, the visa is likely to be refused or the job will not last.
Pakistani workers going through official channels can use the government recruiter. The steps are in how to apply for Saudi and Gulf jobs through OEC. For skilled roles, the Takamol skill test also depends on the exact profession, so ask which title your visa will show.
Do not accept a job on a different profession and plan to "fix it later". A title mismatch is the most common reason for trouble at renewal.
Common questions
Which Saudi jobs are reserved for Saudis under this decision?
69 administrative support professions, according to HRSD. They include secretarial, clerical, translation and data entry roles. The full list is in the ministry's procedural guide.
When did the 69 jobs become Saudi only?
HRSD gives 5 April 2026 as the effective date. Reports say 50 of them had a grace period that ended about 4 October 2026. We could not confirm that on the ministry's page.
Does the rule apply to small companies?
Yes. HRSD says it applies to establishments employing one worker or more in the listed professions. Company size does not exempt it.
Can my employer just change my job title?
It cannot hide the work under another title. Reports of the guide say that giving the same tasks to a non-Saudi under another title is also penalised. Ask your employer what the new title would be and check it.
What if my employer ends my contract?
Your notice, compensation and end-of-service award still apply. Keep your contract, payslips and messages, and call the Pakistan Embassy if the employer refuses to pay.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the English announcement on the HRSD website about the update to the Saudization of administrative support professions, which gives the 69 professions, the effective date of 5 April 2026 and the scope. We could not open the ministry's procedural guide, so the grace period, the list of example titles and any penalty amounts are not confirmed here. This page is information, not legal advice.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
