Key Points
- Saudi Qiwa platform surpasses two million registered establishments, with 13 million workers and 12 million documented contracts recorded in early 2026.
- Compliance rules tightened, requiring 85% contract documentation by April 30, rising to 90% by June 30 to improve transparency and enforce labour rights.
- New reforms mandate private firms to provide structured training for Saudi nationals, supporting workforce development under Vision 2030.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced that its digital labour platform, Qiwa, has now exceeded two million registered establishments in the first quarter of 2026.
The platform also records around 13 million workers and nearly 12 million documented employment contracts, reflecting the rapid transformation and digitisation of the Kingdom’s labour market.
According to statements reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the achievement comes alongside a series of new regulatory and digital enhancements aimed at strengthening labour governance.
Among the latest developments is the introduction of a unified system for documenting training contracts, in addition to a dedicated registration service for Saudi nationals.
These measures are designed to better structure employment relationships and reduce irregular or overlapping contracting practices.
The expansion of Qiwa’s user base coincides with stricter compliance requirements for employers. Authorities have increased the mandatory contract documentation compliance threshold to 85% effective from 30 April, with a further escalation to 90% scheduled for 30 June.
Compliance is calculated as the proportion of documented contracts compared to total employment contracts within each establishment.
Officials state that this mechanism is intended to enhance transparency while protecting both employer and employee rights, according to Arab News.
In parallel, the Ministry has strengthened the legal enforceability of employment contracts.
In the current phase of reform, authenticated fixed-term contracts are now recognised as enforceable instruments once they are renewed or updated.
Authorities have also indicated that this legal recognition will later be extended to include indefinite-term contracts, further reinforcing contractual accountability across the private sector.
Employers and employees have been urged to ensure that all contractual arrangements are properly updated and documented through the Qiwa platform, in line with official regulatory guidance.
Labour market reforms also extend into workforce development obligations. A ministerial directive now requires private-sector companies employing 50 or more staff to provide structured on-the-job training opportunities for Saudi graduates and job seekers. These training placements must collectively account for at least 2% of the workforce annually.
Training programmes are required to run for a duration of two to six months and must be formally recorded on Qiwa, including clear documentation of job roles, training stages, and the rights and responsibilities of both parties involved.
Larger organisations employing 5,000 or more workers are required to train a minimum of 100 individuals each year.
Authorities have stated that these combined reforms—covering stricter contract documentation, enhanced legal enforceability, and mandatory training provisions—form part of a broader strategy to improve labour market efficiency and raise compliance standards across the private sector.
They added that the measures are also aimed at developing national human capital in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, ensuring a more structured, transparent, and skilled workforce for the future.
