For years, Gulf countries have tried to persuade citizens to take private sector roles rather than rely on government jobs; this week Saudi Arabia and the UAE intensified those efforts.

Saudi Arabia expanded its Saudization program — requiring companies to hire only Saudis for certain roles or face penalties — to cover 69 additional job types, including data entry, secretarial work, and translation. The move further tightens the Nitaqat system, which has imposed quotas for Saudi hires since 2011. Meanwhile, the UAE extended its Nafis Emiratization program to 2040, well beyond its original deadline of this year, sweetening the deal for citizens who take private sector jobs with expanded financial benefits.

Both programs have shown results: Nafis has brought 152,000 Emiratis into the private sector since its 2021 launch, while Saudi unemployment has fallen steadily to 7% by the end of 2024.