Qiwa clarifies rules for appointing non-Saudis as general managers

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Qiwa platform clarified that non-Saudis may still be appointed to the position of “general manager,” provided specific regulatory conditions are met, following confusion over the removal of the job title from the profession-change options for expatriates.Qiwa, which operates under the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, said the profession of “general manager” is not restricted to Saudi nationals and is not subject to mandatory Saudization.The platform explained that appointing a non-Saudi to the role requires the job title to be formally recorded in the company’s commercial registration under the same designation, ensuring full alignment between employment contracts and official business records.Qiwa noted that while the option to change an expatriate’s profession to “general manager” has been removed from open modification requests, the designation remains available to non-Saudis who meet approved regulatory requirements.