Saudi Arabia limits employees to seven jobs per year

Saudi Arabia has introduced new employment restrictions through the Qiwa platform, prohibiting Saudi employees from holding more than seven jobs within a one-year period, according to a report by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development-affiliated updates published by Okaz.

Under the new clarification, Saudi employees who complete seven employment contracts within 365 days from the date of their first contract will be barred from entering into an eighth contract until a full year has passed from that initial contract date.

The Qiwa platform stated that the measure is part of broader labor market regulations governing employment mobility and contract management in the Kingdom. Employers have also reportedly received notifications reinforcing that Saudi nationals are not permitted to exceed seven employment contracts annually.

The platform further clarified that Saudi employees may hold a maximum of two valid employment contracts at the same time. If an employee wishes to accept another role while already employed under two active contracts, one of the existing contracts must first be terminated before a new agreement can be signed.

In a separate compliance update, Qiwa said that employers must cancel the registration of non-Saudi workers if their work permits have expired or if they remain without a valid permit for more than three months after June 30, 2026, regardless of their residency status.

The platform also outlined the conditions required for companies to count Saudi employees under the Kingdom’s Nitaqat Saudization program. To qualify, employees must be at least 18 years old according to the Hijri calendar, work full-time rather than part-time, receive a minimum basic salary of SR4,000 along with a housing allowance, and must not be students.

The latest measures come as Saudi Arabia continues to tighten labor market regulations and strengthen workforce localisation efforts under its Vision 2030 economic transformation agenda.