HRSD Ministry to classify work permits by skill level

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) issued a decision to classify work permits based on skill level and included clear eligibility criteria for classifying the skills of expatriate labor.

The Ministry added on its account on the X platform that the decision comes to regulate the labor market and develop human competencies.

It further stated that the decision aims to enhance worker performance and transfer expertise to the Saudi labor market by attracting higher skills, building an environment supportive of innovation and future investment through talent attraction, enhancing compliance with the Saudi Standard Classification of Occupations (SSCO), applying best practices for attracting high-level skills and competencies, and developing verification mechanisms and knowledge of the distribution rates of skill categories among non-Saudi labor in the Kingdom.

The first implementation phase includes the reclassification of the current labor force in the labor market as of July 6, 2025, while the second phase includes the classification of new labor entering the Kingdom after August 3, 2025.

According to the skill-based work permit classification guide issued by the Ministry, classification will be according to skill categories (high skill – skilled – basic).

The criteria for classifying work permits include, educational qualifications, work experience, professional skills, wage and age.