Don't guess your compliance zone.
Use ZenHR's free Nitaqat calculator to see exactly where your company stand under the latest HRSD guidelines - and what you need to do next.
ZenHR automates Nitaqat tracking, payroll, and compliance reporting - built specifically for Saudi Arabia.
Find quick answers to common questions about ZenHR’s features, setup, and support.
Nitaqat is Saudi Arabia's Saudization compliance system, administered by HRSD. It uses a weighted formula to calculate your Saudi employee count: full-time Saudis earning ≥ SAR 4,000/month count as 1 point, part-timers as 0.5, and employees with disabilities as 2. Your zone (Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green, or Red) is determined by your weighted percentage relative to your sector's minimum threshold and company size.
There are 5 zones: Platinum, High Green, Medium Green, Low Green, and Red. The Yellow zone was eliminated by HRSD in 2025, companies previously in Yellow were automatically moved to Red. Your zone is determined by how far your weighted Saudization percentage is above or below your sector's minimum threshold. Platinum and Green zones allow you to hire and renew expat visas freely. Red zone restricts new expat visas and triggers the monthly expat levy.
If expats outnumber Saudis on your payroll, you pay SAR 800/month per expat employee. If Saudis outnumber expats, the rate drops to SAR 400/month per expat. That's up to SAR 9,600/year per expat at the higher rate. The levy applies to every non-Saudi worker on your payroll and is collected by HRSD monthly.
You'll face restrictions on renewing or issuing new work visas for expats, and you're liable for the monthly levy. Continued non-compliance can result in fines and suspension of government services. You'll need to hire Saudi nationals to move up to a higher zone.
It's based on official HRSD Nitaqat thresholds and the 2025 weighted formula. Results are estimates, exact quotas vary by your specific ISIC activity code. Always verify your final numbers at hrsd.gov.sa or through the Nitaqat calculator on Qiwa.
