On January 29, 2026, Saudi Arabia made a bold move restricting four high-ranking jobs exclusively to Saudi nationals. The government’s Qiwa platform, the official labor service hub, stopped allowing expatriates to switch their professions to these roles. The headline is that the "General Manager" title is now fully reserved for Saudis. According to Okaz and Yemen Press sources, this job has been removed from the options for foreigners. Expats currently in this role must change to titles like "CEO" or "Chairman," if they meet strict business registry rules. The four restricted jobs are: General Manager, Sales Representative, Marketing Specialist, and Procurement Manager. From this month, companies with three or more employees in marketing and sales must have 60% Saudis. These Saudi staff must earn at least SAR 5,500 per month in sales/marketing to count. Engineering and technical Saudis must earn SAR 8,000. For expats, this means they cannot be hired or updated into these job titles anymore. The work permit system will block foreign hires in these fully Saudized roles, even if they are qualified. Companies must now prioritize Saudi nationals or face fines and hiring freezes. Minister Ahmed Al-Rajhi states this move aims to boost "quality" jobs for Saudis and shift leadership to locals as part of Vision 2030. The government wants to reduce citizen unemployment by giving locals bigger roles in business leadership. Current expat holders of these jobs get a grace period, but no new visas or title changes will be allowed for these positions. Businesses have three months to meet the 60% local staff rule in marketing and sales. For expat workers, it’s now a tougher game to find senior jobs in Saudi Arabia. The shift sends a clear message: The Kingdom is putting its youth first for top decision-making seats.