Phase 6: Coffee Shop Staffing – Nitaqat, Visas & Barista Salaries

Your espresso machine doesn’t call in sick. Your espresso machine doesn’t need a visa. Your staff does.

Coffee shop staffing in Saudi Arabia is a balancing act. You need talented baristas to pull perfect shots, but you also need to meet Saudization (Nitaqat) quotas to keep your license green.

Many new owners fail because they calculate salaries based on “old numbers” (e.g., thinking a barista costs SAR 1,500). Those days are gone. This guide breaks down the real cost of a team and how to legally structure your workforce using Qiwa and HRDF.

🇸🇦 1. The Nitaqat System (Saudization) Simplified

The Rule: You cannot hire expats if you are in the “Red Zone”.

The Ministry of Human Resources (MHRSD) classifies your business based on the percentage of Saudis you employ. For the “Restaurants and Cafes” sector, here is the simplified math for 2025:

Small Entities (0–5 Employees)

Requirement: You generally need 1 Saudi on the payroll to be in the Green Zone.
The “Owner” Trick: If you (the owner) are Saudi and registered in GOSI (Social Insurance) under this entity, you count as that 1 Saudi. This clears you to hire ~4 expats.

Medium Entities (6–49 Employees)

Requirement: You need roughly 20% – 30% Saudization.
The Calculation: If you have 10 staff total, 2 or 3 must be Saudi.

The “4,000 Riyal” Rule

A Saudi employee does not count towards your Nitaqat percentage unless their registered GOSI salary is at least SAR 4,000.

Salary < SAR 3,000: Counts as 0 Saudis.
Salary SAR 3,000 – 3,999: Counts as 0.5 Saudis.
Salary SAR 4,000+: Counts as 1 Full Saudi.

Nitaqat Status Guide: How to Move from Red to Green Zone

💰 2. Salary Benchmarks (2025 Data)

Don’t rely on guesswork. Here is what you should budget for basic salaries (Total Package: Basic + Housing + Transport).

Role	Expat Salary (SAR)	Saudi Salary (SAR)	Notes
Head Barista	3,500 – 5,500	5,500 – 8,000	Needs SCA certification & leadership skills.
Junior Barista	2,000 – 3,000	4,500 – 5,500	Entry-level. Focus on attitude over skill.
Cafe Manager	5,000 – 9,000	8,000 – 12,000	Handles inventory, scheduling, and hygiene.
Cleaner/Busboy	1,500 – 2,000	N/A	Usually outsourced or expat labor.

Hidden Costs for Expats:
Work Permit (Maktab Amal): Approx SAR 800/month (SAR 9,600/year).
Iqama Renewal: Approx SAR 650/year.
Health Insurance: SAR 400 – 1,500/year depending on age.
Plane Ticket: 1 roundtrip ticket every 2 years (mandatory).

🤝 3. Government Support: HRDF (Hadaf)

Get the government to pay 30% of your Saudi salaries.

The Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) offers a program called Employment Support.

The Benefit: They will subsidize 30% to 50% of a Saudi employee’s salary for the first 2 years.
Example: You hire a Saudi Barista at SAR 4,000.
- HRDF pays you back approx SAR 1,200/month.
- Your actual cost is SAR 2,800/month.
Condition: The employee must not have been supported by HRDF previously (or has remaining eligibility). You apply via the Taqat portal.

📝 4. The Hiring Process: Step-by-Step

Hiring Saudis

Sourcing: Use Jadarat (National Labor Portal), LinkedIn, or specialized Instagram accounts like @Coffee_Jobs_KSA.
Contract: Must be created digitally on the Qiwa platform. Paper contracts are not legally binding.
GOSI: Register them in General Organization for Social Insurance immediately (you pay 11.75% contribution, employee pays 9.75%).

Hiring Expats (Visas)

Visa Issuance: Go to Qiwa ➔ Visas ➔ Issue Work Visa. You need a “Green” Nitaqat status to do this.
Cost: SAR 2,000 per visa.
Transferring Sponsorship (Ajeer/Qiwa): It is faster to hire an expat already in Saudi Arabia. You send a “Transfer Request” via Qiwa. If their current employer approves (or their contract is expired), they move to you.

How to Issue Work Visa in Qiwa – Complete Blueprint

How to count yourself as an Employee : Saudization

🎓 5. Training: Don’t Rely on YouTube

If your coffee tastes bad, customers won’t return. Sending your staff to a 3-day rigorous course is cheaper than losing customers.

Top Barista Academies in KSA:

Brestant (Riyadh/Jeddah): The gold standard. SCA certified courses.
Alchemy (Riyadh): Focus on sensory skills and brewing.
Qavashop Academy (Sharqia/Riyadh): Great for equipment maintenance training.

✅ Phase 6 Checklist: The HR Audit

[ ] GOSI Registration: Opened a GOSI file for the establishment.
[ ] Qiwa Account: Registered and verified.
[ ] Nitaqat Calculation: Confirmed how many Saudis are needed for Green status.
[ ] Budgeting: Added “Government Fees” (Visa/Iqama/Health) to the P&L, not just salaries.
[ ] Health Cards: Budgeted SAR 200 per staff for Balady Health Card (requires medical test).
[ ] Uniforms: Designed and ordered (Aprons look professional).

What’s Next?

You have the shop, the machine, and the team. Now comes the moment of truth. You need to open the doors, handle the “Soft Opening” chaos, and manage the daily cash flow.