Saudi Arabia says non-Saudis may be appointed general managers if job titles match commercial registrations and regulations/Image: File

A brief change on Saudi Arabia’s Qiwa platform triggered uncertainty among expatriate workers and employers, but officials have now moved to clear the air. The platform has confirmed that non-Saudis can still be appointed as general managers, provided they meet specific regulatory conditions, According to Saudi Gazette.Qiwa, which operates under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said the role of “general manager” is not restricted to Saudi nationals and does not fall under mandatory Saudization requirements. The clarification came after users noticed that the job title had been removed from the list of profession-change options available to expatriates, leading to confusion about eligibility.According to Qiwa, appointing a non-Saudi to the position remains permissible as long as the job title is officially recorded in the company’s commercial registration using the same designation. This step is required to ensure consistency between employment contracts and the company’s registered business details, and to keep labour records aligned with official documentation.The platform stressed that while expatriates can no longer submit open requests to change their profession to “general manager” through the system, the title itself has not been abolished for non-Saudis. Instead, it continues to be available to those who satisfy the approved regulatory requirements, reinforcing that the recent change was procedural rather than a policy shift.