Saudi Arabia Updates Work Policy, Bars Ghanaians and Other Nationals From 69 Jobs, Details Emerge

• Saudi Arabia has shared an update on its plan to ensure that jobs meant for locals are extended to cover 69 additional administrative support professions in the private sector
• The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in a circular, shared details on the jobs that have been included in the new update
• The Ministry has given a grace period of six months to companies to restructure their staff in line with the new update, or face legal penalties

Saudi Arabia has announced changes to its labour policy regarding certain administrative and office jobs.

The new update contained in Circular No. 278, signed by Minister Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, will now require specific jobs to be reserved for citizens of Saudi Arabia, effectively preventing foreign workers, including Ghanaians, from being recruited into these roles.

The update announced on April 5, 2026, focuses on a wide range of administrative support roles such as human resources managers and specialists, recruiters, public relations officers, administrative assistants, secretaries, data entry clerks, receptionists, translators, warehouse clerks, and security-related monitoring roles.

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The initiative comes as part of efforts to get more jobs for Saudis, not only in administrative roles but also in other areas such as engineering, procurement, marketing, sales, and dental professions.

According to the circular, the decision applies to all private sector establishments operating in Saudi Arabia that employ workers in any of the listed job titles.

The full list of 69 professions is detailed in the ministry’s procedural guide, which has been published on its official website.

According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia, following the release, some professions were immediately affected, with companies needing to comply with the policy immediately.

Within this period, a majority of roles have been granted a grace period of six months, where strict enforcement will begin on October 4, 2026.

Companies within this period are expected to use this time to change their staff structure, recruit Saudi nationals, and terminate or reassign foreign workers currently occupying those roles.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced that companies that fail to adhere to the new policy will be subject to legal penalties and fines as per existing labour regulations.

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The new policy is expected to negatively affect many Ghanaians employed in Saudi Arabia as secretaries, data entry clerks, translators, or HR assistants.

The new move by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is designed to create more employment opportunities for Saudi citizens, reduce the Kingdom’s reliance on foreign labour, and align with the economic diversification goals of Vision 2030.

Lady in Saudi Arabia cries over hardship

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a young Ghanaian lady who recently relocated to Saudi Arabia to seek greener pastures opened up about her struggle.

She posted a video of herself shedding tears in a car as she made it known in the video’s caption that living in the Gulf country came with challenges.

She advised those with plans to relocate to Gulf countries not to assume they would not encounter hardship once they landed in the Middle East.

Source: YEN.com.gh