Saudi Arabia Residency: 3 Salary Requirements Foreign Professionals Must Meet
Saudi Arabia has outlined three monthly salary thresholds for foreign professionals seeking residency under its Special Talent Residency programme, with the requirements varying according to occupation and seniority.
The programme targets researchers, healthcare and scientific professionals, and senior executives working in priority fields. However, earning the required salary alone does not guarantee approval. Applicants must also satisfy other conditions, including employment, qualifications and professional experience.
The scheme forms part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to attract specialised talent and strengthen its workforce. Eligible applicants can initially receive a five-year renewable residency permit, with a pathway to permanent residency if they meet additional requirements.
1. Researchers Must Earn at Least SAR 14,000 Monthly
Researchers working in priority specialisations have the lowest salary threshold among the three categories.
According to the Saudi Premium Residency Centre, eligible researchers must earn at least SAR 14,000 monthly, equivalent to approximately ₦6.3 million using the naira conversion reported by Legit.ng.
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher and have an employment contract with an approved organisation. They must also demonstrate at least three years of relevant professional experience, obtain an employer recommendation and meet the programme’s minimum points requirement.
The programme also sets research-related criteria for applicants. Legit.ng reports that researchers must have at least three published research works in their field.
These conditions mean the category targets qualified researchers with relevant experience rather than every foreign worker employed in a research-related position.
2. Healthcare and Scientific Professionals Need SAR 35,000
Foreign healthcare and scientific professionals face a higher financial threshold.
Applicants in this category must earn at least SAR 35,000 monthly, approximately ₦15.75 million, according to the naira equivalents published by Legit.ng.
Like researchers, applicants must work for an approved organisation in a designated priority specialisation. They must also possess at least a bachelor’s degree, demonstrate more than three years of relevant experience and meet the minimum points requirement.
An employer recommendation is another condition.
The higher salary threshold distinguishes this category from the researcher pathway. Professionals cannot qualify solely because they work in healthcare or science; their specialisation, employment arrangement and other eligibility requirements also matter.
3. Senior Executives Must Earn SAR 80,000 Monthly
Senior executives face the highest salary requirement under the programme.
The Saudi authorities set the minimum at SAR 80,000 monthly, approximately ₦36 million, for executives occupying first- or second-level leadership positions.
The official regulations express this threshold as a minimum annual wage of SAR 960,000. Applicants must have an employment contract with an approved organisation, while the applicable employer recommendation requirements depend on the leadership category.
Unlike the researcher and healthcare pathways, the executive category does not use the same minimum-points requirement described for those professional groups.
The salary threshold therefore targets senior leadership positions rather than ordinary managerial or supervisory roles.
What Happens After Applicants Qualify?
Meeting the salary threshold is only one part of the process. Applicants must satisfy the conditions for their category and the programme’s general requirements.
The Special Talent Residency permit is initially granted for five years and can be renewed. To qualify for permanent residency through this pathway, applicants must maintain an eligible employment contract and the required salary while living in Saudi Arabia for at least 30 months during the residency period. The time can be consecutive or non-consecutive.
Saudi Arabia therefore offers a potential route to permanent residency for eligible foreign professionals, but the process involves more than meeting a monthly income target.