## Documentation Index

Access the complete documentation index at:
https://www.zoho.com/en-sa/payroll/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available documentation pages before proceeding.

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# What is Saudization and how can I comply with Saudization targets?

**What is Saudization (Nitaqat)?**

Saudization is the Saudi government’s mandatory program that requires private companies to employ a minimum percentage of Saudi nationals instead of relying solely on foreign workers.

It is part of _Vision 2030_ to create more job opportunities for Saudi citizens.

How is your required Saudization percentage calculated? Your exact quota is automatically determined based on three factors:

*   Number of Saudi employees on your payroll
*   Total number of employees in your organization
*   Your registered economic activity or sector (as per your commercial registration)

**Special rules that affect your Saudization score**

Some employment situations count differently toward your Nitaqat score:

Situation

How it counts toward your quota

Saudi earning < **SAR 4,000/month**

Counts as **0.5 employee**

Saudi employee with a registered disability

Counts as **4 employees**

GCC national (UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar)

Counts as a **full Saudi**

Saudi working for two employers

Only the **first employer** gets the credit

**How to check your Nitaqat classification**

Enter your company’s details in the [**Nitaqat Calculator**](https://www.qiwa.sa/en/tools-and-calculators/nitaqat-calculator) on [**Qiwa.sa**](https://www.qiwa.sa/en), the official portal of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Based on your compliance with the above rules, Qiwa assigns your company to one of six Nitaqat bands.

**Nitaqat Bands**

Band

Meaning

Visa & Government Benefits

**Platinum**

Excellent compliance

Full benefits

**High Green**

Very good

Full benefits

**Medium Green**

Good (safe zone)

Normal benefits

**Low Green**

Barely compliant

Limited benefits

**Yellow**

Non-compliant

Serious restrictions

**Red**

Very low compliance

Heavy penalties

[Learn More](https://www.qiwa.sa/en/business-owners/manage-establishment/what-nitaqat-and-how-it-calculated)