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GCC Nationalisation Deadline Calendar
What Emiratisation and Saudization deadlines are coming up?
Checked against MOHRE / HRSD rules · reviewed 1 Oct 2026 · next review 1 Jan 2027
How the calendar is built
The calendar is generated from the same rules our calculators use, so a date changes here the moment a rule changes. Upcoming deadlines are listed first in date order; passed ones follow, newest first. Each row links to its source.
Next deadlines (from 1 October 2026)
| Date | Country | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 2026 | Saudi Arabia | 100% Saudization — Administrative support — 50 added roles |
| 27 Oct 2026 | Saudi Arabia | 50% Saudization — Accounting |
| 31 Dec 2026 | UAE | Emiratisation 10% checkpoint (50+ staff) |
| 1 Jan 2027 | Oman | Oman: more professions restricted to Omanis |
| 14 Feb 2027 | Saudi Arabia | 70% Saudization — Project management |
| 27 Oct 2027 | Saudi Arabia | 60% Saudization — Accounting |
Keep in mind
- Grace periods and start dates can move; HRSD and MOHRE announce changes on their own sites.
- Some Saudization dates come from secondary sources — they're labelled in the row.
Data Sources
- MOHRE — Emiratisation targets (private sector, 50+ and 20–49 staff) (2026-10-01)
- HRSD — Optics sector Saudization resolution enters into force (2026-10-01)
- MOHRE — Emiratisation targets for 20–49 staff companies in 14 sectors (2026-10-01)
- Al Meezan — Qatar Law No. 12 of 2024 on localisation of jobs in the private sector (official text) (2026-10-01)
- SPA / HRSD — Localization decisions for 269 professions (dental, pharmacy, accounting, engineering) (2026-10-01)
- SPA / HRSD — New Saudization measures for engineering and procurement (SAR 8,000 counted wage) (2026-10-01)
- MOHRE — Emirati minimum wage AED 6,000 from 1 January 2026 (2026-10-01)
- HRSD — 70% Saudization in procurement professions from 31 May 2026 (2026-10-01)
- SPA / HRSD — 70% Saudization of project management professions (2026-10-01)
- HRSD — 100% Saudization of remote customer service (Argaam, Feb 2021) (secondary) (2026-10-01)
- KPMG — Oman Ministerial Decision 501/2024 amending MD 235/2022 (restricted professions) (secondary) (2026-10-01)
- HRSD — 100% Saudization of 69 administrative support professions (Fragomen) (secondary) (2026-10-01)
- Nitaqat counting weights (Mercans; Saudi Gazette on Qiwa-documented contracts) (secondary) (2026-10-01)
- HRSD — 60% Saudization in marketing and sales professions (Erickson Immigration Group) (secondary) (2026-10-01)
Plan for the next deadline
Emiratisation hiring plan · Nitaqat calculator · Saudized jobs list
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Emiratisation deadline?
31 December 2026, when companies with 50 or more employees must have Emiratis in 10% of skilled jobs. MOHRE hasn't announced targets for 2027 onwards yet.
What Saudization deadlines are coming up?
From 5 October 2026, 50 more administrative support roles become 100% Saudi-only; accounting rises to 50% on 27 October 2026 (for establishments with five or more accountants); and project management professions go to 70% from 14 February 2027. The calendar lists every step with its source.
Which deadlines have already passed?
Past rules stay on the calendar, marked 'Passed', because they're still in force — for example the Emirati minimum wage of AED 6,000 (from 1 January 2026) and the Qiwa documentation rule for Nitaqat (from 15 April 2026).
How often is the calendar updated?
Every rule has a review date in our labour-rules library — Saudization decisions every three months, Emiratisation targets every six — and we add new decisions as they're announced. The trust line shows the next review.
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