Saudi Arabia uncovers 80,000 Saudization violations in first-half labour inspections

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development uncovered more than 80,000 violations of Saudization requirements during labour inspections conducted in the first half of 2026, as authorities intensified efforts to enforce workforce localisation across the private sector.

The ministry said the violations were identified through an integrated inspection system that combines digital monitoring tools with on-site inspections to ensure businesses comply with labour laws and Saudization regulations. Legal action has been taken against non-compliant private sector establishments.

Between January and the end of June 2026, inspectors carried out more than 500,000 inspections of private sector businesses, uncovering over 240,000 labour violations and issuing more than 50,000 warnings to employers found breaching labour regulations.

At the same time, inspection teams confirmed that more than 200,000 establishments complied with labour laws, ministerial decisions and workplace regulations, indicating improving compliance across Saudi Arabia's labour market.

The ministry said enforcing Saudization policies remained a key priority, with the more than 80,000 recorded violations linked to businesses that failed to meet localisation requirements across designated professions and business activities.

Officials credited digital technologies with improving regulatory oversight. The ministry's Smart Inspection System, introduced to strengthen compliance monitoring, detected more than 60,000 violations during the first six months of 2026 by combining automated data analysis with field inspections.

According to the ministry, the system continuously analyses establishment data to identify potential compliance risks in real time before inspectors verify workplace conditions through physical site visits.

The inspections form part of Saudi Arabia's broader efforts to strengthen labour market governance, improve regulatory compliance and advance Saudization objectives by increasing employment opportunities for Saudi nationals across the private sector.