Employment subsidy

Aimed at increasing the employment opportunities of individuals to match the needs of the labour market, increasing Saudisation, and supporting their continuation on the job.

Full-time subsidy programme

This programme aims to support the increase of Saudisation levels in private sector establishments by contributing 20% of new female employees’ monthly salary calculated according to Saudisation growth and 5% of new male employees’ monthly salary calculated according to Saudisation growth. The total number of programme beneficiaries has reached 36,205.

Part-time subsidy programme

This programme aims at supporting the growth of Saudisation in private sector establishments and activating the mechanism of part-time employment. HRDF contributes SAR 300 to private sector companies as a percentage of the 1,500 social insurance of new employees. This subsidy is credited directly to the account of the General Organisation for Social Insurance on a monthly basis. The total number of beneficiaries has reached 1,936.

Freelance subsidy programme

This programme aims to provide direct financial and practical support to freelancers by generating more job opportunities for the national workforce and spreading the culture of self-employment for male and female entrepreneurs. The Fund contributes by paying a percentage of the social insurance subscription for those with a freelancing permit. In 2018, a total of 631 (361 male and 270 female) benefitted from the programme.

Tele-work programme

Tele-work programme is a nation-wide initiative by the HRDF in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Development. This programme is aimed at providing Saudi national job seekers with physical difficulties to connect with employers. Job seekers who encounter difficulties in transportation, inconveniences in the workplace, or those focusing on childcare can utilise this programme to remotely connect with employers through a virtual workplace. A total of 246 (Female) benefitted from the programme in 2018. The programme stopped taking support applications in October 2017.

Direct employment subsidy programme

This programme aims at recruiting job seekers in private sector establishments who wish to employ male and female job seekers by providing salary up to 50% and not exceeding SAR 2,000 per month for the period of support (24 months). The beneficiaries of the programme in 2018 numbered 20,777. The programme stopped taking support applications in September 2017.

Additional wage support

This programme aims to stimulate enterprises to enable Saudi job seekers to join the opportunities available in the private sector. The programme offers financial support for recruitment of Saudi nationals in facilities classified in the platinum and green ranges of Nitaqat programme. A business entity can enrol a maximum of 20% (in the platinum range) and 15% (In the green range) of its Saudi employees in the additional support programme provided that the beneficiaries are qualified according to the eligibility requirements of a candidate. A total of 7,501 candidates benefitted from the programme. The programme stopped taking support applications in October 2017.

Tawafuq Employment of persons with disabilities programme

This programme supports and enables job seekers with disabilities to be employed in the private sector. The core principles of the programme are right to equal opportunity, inclusion, skills, disability confidence, and services. 3,715 persons with disabilities benefitted from the Tawafuq programme in 2018.

Subsidising the wage of dialysis days

This programme aims to motivate private sector companies to employ renal failure patients and help them continue in their jobs in order to achieve job stability, provided that HRDF compensates these companies for the wage of off days taken by such employees in order to undergo hemodialysis. The total number of beneficiaries has reached 33.

Teachers subsidy programme in private schools

This programme is aimed at improving the working conditions and to increase the functional ability of teachers in private and foreign schools. HRDF supports through financial means by fulfilling the minimum wage requirement of SAR 5,000 and a transportation allowance of SAR 600. In 2018, there were 29,635 beneficiaries of this programme. The programme stopped taking support applications in September 2017.

Women’s work support programmes (Feminisation of shops and feminisation of factories programme)

The objective of this programme is to increase the opportunities for women to work in private sector establishments in line with their qualifications as per the needs of the labour market and according to the women employment regulation decisions issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Development through a unified recruitment and training support mechanism for up to three years in accordance with the specified controls. In 2018, there were 3,131 beneficiaries from the feminisation of shops programme while there were 2,457 beneficiaries of the feminisation of factories programme. The programme stopped taking support applications in October 2017.

Small enterprise owners support

This programmes is aimed at supporting and encouraging Saudi nationals who operate small businesses. Through the programme, financial support is provided for the management of these small businesses. The number of beneficiaries in 2018 reached 260. The programme stopped taking support applications in the end of 2018.

Work seriousness programme

This programme offers financial support for job seekers enrolled in the Hafiz programme, in order to motivate them to find stable employment. The programme offers financial support up to SAR 24,000 throughout 24 months from the date of commencement of employment. There were 4,410 beneficiaries of the programme in 2018. The programme was stopped in January 2018.