Nitaqat: how the Saudization rate is calculated, and how to raise your band
Author: HRFirst editorial and review · Reviewer: HRFirst editorial and review · Published: 2026-08-27 · Last reviewed: 2026-08-27
Your company's Nitaqat band is not a symbolic number. Green opens the way for you to issue visas, transfer sponsorships and access Qiwa services, while red restricts them and puts your growth at risk. Yet the "Saudization rate" remains a puzzle for many small business owners: how is it calculated? And why does a company with a similar number of Saudi employees end up in a different band? This guide breaks down the equation.
What is Nitaqat, and why does your band matter to you?
Nitaqat is a programme that measures a company's commitment to job Saudization, and classifies it into a band that determines what services it can access. The higher your band, the wider your permissions; the lower it is, the narrower they become, exposing you to restrictions that disrupt operations.
How is the Saudization rate calculated?
The basic idea is the ratio of Saudi employees to total employees, but the actual calculation uses weighting factors, most notably:
- A Saudi employee earning 4,000 riyals or more is counted with a full weight (1).
- A Saudi employee earning less than 4,000 is counted with half weight (0.5).
- Employees with disabilities are counted with a doubled weight within certain limits.
- Part-time work is counted proportionally.
The five bands
Companies are classified in ascending order: red, then low, medium and high green, then platinum at the top. The required rate for each band is not a single national figure — it varies according to your activity type and company size. This is why two companies with the same rate can end up in different bands. Use the official calculator on Qiwa to find out the required rate for your specific case.
How do you raise your band?
- Hire Saudis in real roles, not nominal ones; fictitious Saudization is a violation, not a solution.
- Be mindful of the salary threshold that grants you the full weighting.
- Make use of categories with higher weighting within their controls.
- Make sure your registered activity matches your actual activity.
- Review your employee list regularly, since an inactive name left on the list distorts your rate.
Common mistakes
- Relying on a general rate figure without verifying the required rate for your activity and size.
- Fictitious Saudization to raise the band, which exposes you to a serious violation.
- Ignoring the effect of salaries on the weighting factor.
- Neglecting to match the registered activity with the actual activity.
Key takeaway
Your band is the result of a weighted rate, not a raw headcount; know the rate required for your activity and size, and raise it through genuine hiring and accurate data.
أسئلة شائعة
- كيف تُحسب نسبة التوطين؟
- نسبة السعوديين إلى الإجمالي، مع معاملات ترجيح: السعودي براتب 4,000 فأكثر بمعامل كامل، وأقل منه بنصف، وذوو الإعاقة بمعامل أعلى ضمن حدود.
- ما النطاقات؟
- خمسة تصاعديًا: أحمر، أخضر منخفض ومتوسط ومرتفع، ثم بلاتيني.
- هل النسبة المطلوبة ثابتة لكل المنشآت؟
- لا، تختلف بحسب نوع النشاط وحجم المنشأة. اعتمد الحاسبة الرسمية في قوى.
- كيف أرفع نطاقي؟
- بتوظيف سعوديين في وظائف فعلية، ومراعاة حد الراتب للاحتساب الكامل، وتصحيح النشاط المسجّل، ومراجعة قائمة الموظفين.
النسب الدقيقة تختلف بحسب نشاطك وحجمك. اعتمد الحاسبة الرسمية في قوى، واستعن بمختص في الحالات الخاصة.
Author
HRFirst editorial and review HR operations editorial and review. HR operations content at HRFirst is written and passes a specialist professional review before publication, grounded in the reality of Saudi small and mid-sized companies.