01 | Saudi Arabia raises localization rate to 35% for 94 technical engineering professions

As of 2026-11-09, private-sector businesses with technical engineering teams in Saudi Arabia should recalculate their 2027 workforce requirements using the new 35% rate. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing announced that the localization rate for 94 technical engineering professions will rise to 35% on May 9, 2027.

The requirement applies to private-sector establishments employing 5 or more workers in the targeted professions, with the localization rate calculated at the establishment level. Comparable establishments have been subject to a 30% rate since July 27, 2025. Covered roles include civil engineering technician, electrical engineering technician, mechanical engineering technician, electronic engineering technician, surveying technician, mechanical maintenance technician and architectural draftsman. The procedural guide governs the full occupational scope and calculation method.

Businesses should review the number of covered positions, current staffing mix and 2027 recruitment plan in advance. If a team meets the applicability threshold, hiring, training and retention plans should be aligned with the effective date rather than deferred until shortly before implementation.

Source: Saudi Gazette, 2026-11-08

02 | Aramco office building in Riyadh financial district damaged in attempted attack

Businesses with offices or personnel travelling in Riyadh should include this incident in their office and commuting continuity assessments, without treating damage to an office building as evidence of disrupted oil production. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said falling debris from an attempted attack damaged a Saudi Aramco administrative building in the King Abdullah Financial District. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

A witness reported blown-out windows across several floors of Aramco Tower. Saudi authorities described the damage as limited, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted 2 missiles heading towards Riyadh. The report concerns an administrative office building in Riyadh and provides no evidence that oil production was affected.

Source: NBC News, 2026-11-08

03 | Regional security tensions continue to disrupt UAE-Saudi flights

Business travellers flying between the UAE and Saudi Arabia should not plan connections or meetings around their original tickets without checking current schedules. Airlines based in the UAE continue to cancel, suspend or reschedule services amid tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and wider regional security concerns.

Etihad Airways extended the cancellation of all passenger and cargo flights between Abu Dhabi and Dammam and Riyadh until November 19. Emirates cancelled selected services between Dubai and Dammam, Riyadh and Jeddah. Dubai International Airport also reported several cancellations to Riyadh and Gassim that day.

flydubai has resumed selected services to Jeddah, Madinah, Gassim, Ha’il and Tabuk. Flights to Dammam are scheduled to resume on November 10, while Riyadh and Abha services remain suspended through November 16. Air Arabia also cancelled selected flights between Sharjah and Abha, Riyadh, Jizan and Tabuk. Arrangements differ by carrier, so passengers should verify the latest status directly with their airline before departure.

Source: Gulf News, 2026-11-08

04 | Bahrain’s Labour Fund opposes excluding foreign-owned businesses from support

Foreign-owned businesses operating in Bahrain should not revise their budgets on the assumption that they have already lost access to Tamkeen support. The proposal remains subject to parliamentary debate and a vote. It would reserve direct Tamkeen assistance for Bahraini citizens and exclude foreign-owned businesses.

Tamkeen warned that excluding foreign-owned businesses could deter major overseas investors and reduce employment, training and career-development opportunities for Bahrainis. Parliament’s Services Committee has recommended rejecting the proposal, partly because another bill seeking a similar change has already been reviewed.

Existing employee support programmes continue to benefit Bahrainis regardless of who owns their employer. They cover wage support, professional qualifications, workplace training, overseas placements and assistance for people starting businesses. The current debate concerns whether businesses may receive direct support; it does not establish that the proposed exclusion has taken effect.

Source: News of Bahrain, 2026-11-08

06 | Egyptian Customs and chambers federation sign TIR guarantee agreement

Businesses involved in cross-border road transport through Egypt can treat the agreement as evidence that the transit mechanism is progressing, but should not assume specific implementation procedures at this stage. The Egyptian Customs Authority and the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce signed a Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) guarantee agreement under the United Nations TIR Convention. The ministers responsible for finance, transport and industry, and investment and foreign trade attended the signing.

The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce will act as the national guaranteeing association representing the International Road Transport Union. The Egyptian Customs Authority said the arrangement is intended to accelerate cargo movement, lower transport costs, reduce truck dwell times at border crossings, and improve customs and logistics services. The Minister of Finance also directed the Customs Authority to establish an executive unit responsible for implementing the TIR system.

Egypt’s Ministry of Finance said transit trade had grown by 40% since March 2026. Under the second package of tax facilitations, goods in transit and related services are exempt from value-added tax. Businesses still need to wait for the executive unit to publish details on applicable procedures, guarantee arrangements and border operations.

Source: Ministry of Finance, 2026-07-13

Other updates

  • 07 | Egypt pilots self-service kiosks for investor services: The Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade announced a pilot programme for self-service investor kiosks that can issue documents around the clock, including true copies of articles of incorporation, certificates of incorporation and sole-proprietorship formation letters. (Source: GAFI, 2026-11-08)
  • 08 | Egyptian investment and environmental authorities coordinate a unified environmental data registry: GAFI and the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency held a coordination meeting on mechanisms for a unified environmental data registry for industrial facilities, streamlined registration procedures and fulfilment of related requirements. (Source: GAFI, 2026-11-08)
  • 09 | Egypt’s finance minister presents tax-facilitation reforms at the Egyptian Exchange: The package includes a 15% investment incentive, structured as a tax credit against tax due in annual returns for three years, aimed at encouraging large companies to list on the Egyptian Exchange. (Source: Ministry of Finance)
  • 10 | Egypt’s prime minister reviews proposals to deepen local manufacturing and expand investment incentives: The proposals include a five-year government procurement forecasting mechanism intended to give local manufacturers 12 to 18 months to prepare production lines. (Source: Daily News Egypt, 2026-11-08)
  • 11 | Central Bank of Egypt approves rules for banking agents: The rules allow banks to provide selected services through agents, including customer identification and verification, account opening, personal-data updates and applications for certain banking services. (Source: Daily News Egypt, 2026-11-08)
  • 12 | Saudi Arabia restricts foreign workers in 97 tourism and administrative job titles: 4 categories of tourism roles are reserved entirely for Saudi nationals, while 12 require 70% local staffing and another 12 require 50%. (Source: The Kathmandu Post)
  • 13 | Saudi Arabia sets November 18 deadline for gyms and sports centres to meet localization requirements: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development urged gyms and sports centres to complete the relevant employment preparations before the requirements take effect. (Source: Saudi Gazette, 2026-11-06)
  • 15 | Türkiye revokes Golden Global Investment Bank’s operating licence: The Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency revoked the bank’s operating licence, with the decision published in the Official Gazette on November 6. (Source: Hürriyet Daily News)
  • 16 | Dubai moves tourist visa applications to its official tourism platform: Single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visa applications are being integrated into Visit Dubai, while the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai remains responsible for assessment and issuance. (Source: KATA)
  • 18 | UAE tax authority clarifies input-tax recovery conditions for 6 categories of employee expenses: FTA Decision No. 17 of 2026 covers transport, food and beverages, work-related accommodation, temporary housing for new employees, mobile phones and internet services, and parking fees. Businesses may recover only the VAT included in qualifying costs. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-11-08)
  • 19 | UAE General Civil Aviation Authority issues an aviation cybersecurity framework: The guidelines provide a framework for aviation organisations to manage cyber risks, protect sensitive data, strengthen regulatory compliance and maintain business continuity. (Source: Gulf News, 2026-11-06)
  • 20 | Egypt plans a dedicated investment fund for expatriates next year: The Minister of Finance announced that a fund for Egyptians abroad is planned for next year and that preparations are underway with investment banks in Egypt and overseas. (Source: Ministry of Finance)
  • 22 | Kurdistan Regional Government reports a long-running fiscal transfer dispute with Baghdad: The KRG says the Kurdistan Region should have received about IQD 146 trillion from Iraq’s federal budget between 2014 and 2025 but received IQD 41 trillion. The figures represent the KRG’s position. (Source: Kurdistan24, 2026-11-07)
  • 23 | Patriotic Union of Kurdistan withdraws from the regional government: The PUK announced its immediate withdrawal from the Kurdistan Regional Government and said it would not recognise any government or officials resulting from the process. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-08)
  • 24 | Iraq’s reported Ceyhan oil exports reach 500,000 barrels per day: Iraq Business News cited a report that SOMO was sending 500,000 barrels per day through the Kurdistan Region pipeline to Türkiye’s Ceyhan port, but the figure had not been confirmed by an official. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-08)
  • 25 | Iraq releases $111 million to the contractor for the Bismayah housing project: The National Investment Commission released the first instalment to South Korea’s Hanwha, covering 8,280 completed homes in Baghdad’s Bismayah project. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-07)
  • 26 | Iraq plans joint management of Kurdistan Region oilfields: Iraq’s Oil Ministry plans to station SOMO employees at oilfields in the Kurdistan Region to monitor actual production and exports. (Source: Iraq Business News, 2026-11-07)
  • 27 | Oman’s SOHAR Freezone signs 6 investment agreements: The 6 land-lease agreements cover approximately 440,000 square metres and announced investment exceeding RO 63.00 million across manufacturing, medical devices, textile reuse and logistics. (Source: Oman Observer, 2026-11-08)
  • 28 | Qatar signs GCC railway agreement to advance cross-border connectivity: Qatar signed the general agreement for a railway network connecting all 6 GCC member states and facilitating cross-border passenger and goods movement. (Source: Doha News)
  • 29 | Saudi Arabia names an official platform for verifying approved recruitment agencies: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development designated Musaned as the official verification channel and took legal action against 67 recruitment offices for violations in the third quarter of 2026. (Source: Legit.ng, 2026-11-06)
  • 30 | Saudi Arabia announces a hotline for complaints about recruitment agencies: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced a hotline for reporting recruitment violations and asked workers and employers to use it alongside the Musaned platform. (Source: Legit.ng, 2026-11-06)

Last updated: November 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice.