The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued Ministerial Decision no. 116264, dated 29 Sha’ban 1447 AH (17 February 2026), and an accompanying procedural guide (the Training Decision), which set clear obligations for establishments to train Saudi graduates and job seekers. The Training Decision aims to enhance performance and support employment in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
In accordance with the Training Decision, establishments with 50 or more employees must offer on-the-job training opportunities for Saudi graduates and job seekers. Companies with a workforce of 50–4,999 employees are required to train a number of trainees and job seekers equivalent to at least 2% of their total workforce annually. For establishments with 5,000 or more employees, the minimum requirement is to train 100 trainees per year. The total workforce count includes Saudi nationals and expatriates working full-time for the employer.
Both parties to a training contract will be subject to a number of obligations. The employer, for example, is required to do the following:
- Set an on-the-job training plan with objectives and tasks
- Publish training opportunities and select trainees fairly
- Document the training contract
- The training contract must be registered in the Qiwa portal
- Trainees will only be subject to limited provisions of the Saudi labour law, including annual leave, public holidays, maximum working hours, daily and weekly rest, and health and safety rules (including provisions relating to work injuries)
- Provide suitable resources and appropriate tasks
- On-the-job training must be supervised or assisted by a specialized employee to help the trainee acquire required knowledge and skills
- Issue a completion certificate stating the training duration and dates, the profession, and covered skills
The employer must report any training via the Qiwa portal.
The obligations of trainees include complying with the training contract, performing assigned tasks properly, protecting the establishment’s confidential information and property, and following health and safety rules.
The Training Decision came into force on 18 April 2026. We recommend that Saudi employers that fall within the scope of the Training Decision do the following:
- Assess their workforce size and determine the required trainee intake
- Consider strategies to attract and recruit Saudi national graduates and job seekers
- Design and publish structured, competency-based on-the-job programs
- Familiarize themselves with the Qiwa portal workflow, including the Qiwa training contract