Nitaqat Calculator: How Many Saudis Count?
Enter the wages of your full-time Saudi employees as registered with GOSI to see how many count today and after each increase, and the wage rises needed.
Count your Saudi employees
How a full-time Saudi counts in Nitaqat
| Wage registered with GOSI | Today | From 25 April 2027 | From 25 April 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAR 6,000 or more | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 5,000 – 5,999 | 1 | 1 | ½ (expected) |
| 4,000 – 4,999 | 1 | ½ (expected) | 0 |
| 3,000 – 3,999 | ½ | 0 | 0 |
| Under 3,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
“Expected” means the half-count band after the increase has not been officially published; the table assumes it stays SAR 1,000 below the threshold, as under the current rule.
Special categories (Decision 61706)
| Category | Weight | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Part-time | ½ | Wage of SAR 3,000 or more registered with GOSI, with no more than two employers |
| Flexible work | ⅓ | 168 working hours, and GOSI contributions of at least SAR 25 an hour |
| Student working part-time | ½ | Wage of SAR 3,000, up to 10% of Saudi staff (40% for restaurants and cafés) |
| Person with a disability able to work | 4 | Wage of SAR 4,000 or more, up to 10% of Saudi staff; any above that count as one |
| Released prisoner | 2 | For two years after release, on SAR 4,000, up to 10% |
All special categories together may not exceed 15% of the establishment's Saudi staff. The 2027 and 2028 increases cover five categories — full-time, part-time, flexible work, part-time students and persons with disabilities — and the new thresholds for the special categories have not been announced yet.
Example: an establishment has five Saudis on SAR 3,500, 4,200, 4,800, 5,500 and 6,500.
Today: four count fully and one as half = 4.5.
From 25 April 2027: two fully and two as half = 3; raising three wages by SAR 2,500 a month in total would make everyone count fully.
From 25 April 2028: one fully and one as half = 1.5.
Prefer Arabic? Use the Arabic version.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for a Saudi to count in Nitaqat?
Today a full-time Saudi counts as one employee if the wage registered with GOSI is SAR 4,000 or more, as half from SAR 3,000 to under 4,000, and not at all below SAR 3,000, under Ministerial Decision 61706. The full-count threshold rises to SAR 5,000 and then SAR 6,000.
When do the SAR 5,000 and 6,000 thresholds start?
A royal directive on 25 October 2026 raised the threshold to SAR 5,000 after six months and to SAR 6,000 twelve months after that. The Deputy Minister of Human Resources gave the dates as 25 April 2027 and 25 April 2028.
Will an employee on SAR 4,500 count after April 2027?
Not fully, because the wage is below SAR 5,000. Whether a half-count band SAR 1,000 below the threshold continues, as under the current rule, has not been officially published. If it does, the employee counts as half; otherwise not at all. The calculator shows both.
Which salary does Nitaqat use?
The wage registered with GOSI and subject to contributions, not the wage in the contract. If you raise a salary, update it with GOSI for it to count.
How are part-time staff, students and persons with disabilities counted?
Part-time: half, on a wage of at least SAR 3,000 and with no more than two employers. Flexible work: a third after 168 hours. Students: half, up to 10% of Saudi staff. Persons with disabilities: four, on SAR 4,000 or more, up to 10%. Released prisoners: two for two years. All special categories together are capped at 15% of Saudi staff.
Does the decision require employers to raise Saudi salaries?
No. It changes the condition for counting an employee fully in Nitaqat. The minimum supported wage in HRDF's employment support product rises to SAR 5,000 and then 6,000 at the same time, and support remains up to 50% of the wage, capped at SAR 3,000 a month.
Sources
- Ministry of Human Resources — Ministerial Decision 61706 (Arabic)
- Ministry of Human Resources — official English translation of Decision 61706
- Umm Al-Qura — royal directive raising the threshold to SAR 5,000 then 6,000 (Arabic)
- Gulf News — SR5,000 in 2027 and SR6,000 in 2028
Figures and formulas on this page were last reviewed on 2026-11-03.