RIYADH — Many job seekers assume a rejected application means their CV wasn’t strong enough. But in Saudi Arabia, there are situations where a company is legally unable to hire an expat candidate even if they liked you, interviewed you, and wanted to make an offer.
Recruiters rarely explain these restrictions, leaving candidates confused and discouraged.
Here are the four biggest red flags to watch for.
1. The company is in the ‘Red Zone’ of Nitaqat
If a company falls into the Red Zone, it is legally blocked from hiring expats. No exceptions, no workarounds.
In this case, even an outstanding applicant cannot be processed until the company improves its Saudization level.
2. No expat quota left for your job title
Each job category has a maximum quota for non-Saudi employees. If the quota is full:
Companies don’t always disclose this, but it’s one of the most common reasons candidates are rejected despite strong interviews.
3. The company is not active or registered in Qiwa
If the company is not activated on Qiwa, or their status is outdated:
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They cannot issue job offers
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They cannot start the recruitment process
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They cannot finalize your contract
Qiwa is now the backbone of the hiring ecosystem, and without an active profile, recruitment is legally impossible.
4. The job category is restricted to Saudis only
Some professions are fully Saudized under Ministry of Human Resources decisions.
If the role appears in a Saudi-only category, companies are not allowed to hire expats even if they want to.
Why this matters
Many job seekers blame themselves, their CV, or their interview performance.
But often, the reason is simple: the company is legally restricted, not that the candidate is unqualified.
Understanding these hiring limitations helps you:
In many cases, the rejection is not about you, it’s about compliance rules companies must follow.
