- Saudi Arabia published official salary scales for foreign healthcare workers under Royal Order No. A/23, covering physicians, dentists, pharmacists, specialists, and health assistants
- The official payroll distinguishes between qualifications earned in developing countries and those from developed countries, with the latter attracting higher pay at every level
- The official public-sector payroll provides a baseline, but market-based employers can pay significantly more for experienced professionals, particularly in private hospitals and specialised centres
Elijah Ntongai is an experienced editor at TUKO.co.ke, with more than four years in financial, business, labour and technology research and reporting. His work provides valuable insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.
Saudi Arabia has an official salary structure for foreign healthcare workers employed in its public health sector.
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Pay rates are tied to both qualification level and the country in which those qualifications were obtained.
The payroll, established under Royal Order No. A/23 dated 20 March 1432 AH, incorporates a 15% Cost of Living Allowance into all figures and applies to physicians, dentists, pharmacists, specialists, and health assistants.
A key feature of the structure is that professionals who trained in developed countries receive substantially higher salaries than those from developing countries holding equivalent roles.
For Kenyan doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and medical technologists and others from developing countries, Saudi Arabia offers a tax-free salary environment, structured packages, and strong demand across the healthcare sector.
The official public-sector payroll provides a baseline, but market-based employers can pay significantly more for experienced professionals, particularly in private hospitals and specialised centres.
Official salary scales by healthcare profession
For physicians, a resident doctor with a basic medical degree from a developing country starts at a basic salary of SAR 4,600 (KSh 157,780), rising to a maximum of SAR 8,050 (KSh 276,115), while the same qualification from a developed country earns a SAR 6,900 (KSh 236,670) basic salary with a maximum of SAR 13,800 (KSh 473,340).
Health assistants, who require a secondary school certificate plus a diploma, sit at the entry level of the payroll.
A three-year diploma holder from a developed country can earn up to SAR 16,785 (KSh 575,725.50), while the equivalent from a developing country reaches a maximum of SAR 4,660 (KSh 159,838).
The table below shows the salary scales for healthcare workers based on the public sector rates in Saudi Arabia:
Category | Profession / Level | Qualification | Developing countries: Basic–maximum (SAR and KSh) |
Physicians & Dentists | Resident Physician | Bachelor of Medicine | SAR 4,600–8,050 (KSh 158k–276k) |
Resident Physician | Bachelor + 1-year diploma | SAR 7,420–13,120 (KSh 255k–450k) | |
Deputy Physician | Master's degree in medicine | SAR 9,260–16,835 (KSh 318k–578k) | |
Deputy Physician | PhD in medicine | SAR 10,755–18,705 (KSh 369k–642k) | |
Consultant Physician | PhD in medicine | SAR 12,145–22,120 (KSh 417k–759k) | |
Pharmacists | Pharmacist | Bachelor's degree | SAR 2,415–5,040 (KSh 83k–173k) |
Senior Pharmacist | Master's degree | SAR 3,335–5,960 (KSh 114k–204k) | |
Consultant Pharmacist | PhD | SAR 4,140–7,590 (KSh 142k–260k) | |
Specialists (Non-Physicians) | Specialist | Bachelor's degree | SAR 2,415–5,040 (KSh 83k–173k) |
Senior Specialist | Master's degree | SAR 3,335–5,960 (KSh 114k–204k) | |
Consultant Specialist | PhD | SAR 4,140–7,590 (KSh 142k–260k) | |
Specialist (Additional Category) | Bachelor's degree | SAR 4,110–8,535 (KSh 141k–293k) | |
Health Assistants | Health Assistant | Secondary + 1-year diploma | SAR 1,985–3,710 (KSh 68k–127k) |
Health Assistant | Secondary + 3-year diploma | SAR 2,935–4,660 (KSh 101k–160k) |
Royal Order No. A/23 does not list nurses as a separate category. Depending on their qualifications, nurses are typically classified as either specialists or health assistants.
Market salary guides from the Gulf Career Group indicate that entry-level nurses in Saudi Arabia earn between SAR 4,000 (KSh 137,200) and SAR 6,500 (KSh 222,950) per month, mid-level nurses between SAR 6,500 (KSh 222,950) and SAR 10,000 (KSh 343,000), and senior nurses between SAR 10,000 (KSh 343,000) and SAR 16,000 (KSh 548,800).
Salary scale for nurses based on market rates
Level | Monthly Salary Range (SAR) | Monthly Salary Range (KSh) |
Entry level | 4,000–6,500 | 137,000–223,000 |
Mid-level | 6,500–10,000 | 223,000–343,000 |
Senior level | 10,000–16,000 | 343,000–584,000 |
Beyond basic salary, most Gulf healthcare packages include housing and transport allowances, one or two annual return flights, and an end-of-service gratuity calculated at half a month's pay for each of the first five years, then a full month per year thereafter.
Saudi Arabia also levies no personal income tax, meaning the contracted salary is largely what a worker receives.
Healthcare professionals must satisfy licensing requirements set by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialities, including qualification verification and professional examinations, before they can practise.
The process can take several months, and all workers require an employer-sponsored work visa and an Iqama residence permit.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
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