Minimum Wage for Indians in Saudi Arabia 2026

Short answer: Saudi Arabia has no minimum wage for expatriate workers. Your salary is whatever is written in your contract. For Indian workers, the Government of India sets “minimum referral wages” that a recruitment contract should not go below. The Embassy of India, Riyadh, says so on its employment FAQ page.

Last checked: November 2026.

Is there a minimum wage for expats in Saudi Arabia?

No. The Embassy of India in Riyadh states that there is no minimum wage fixed for expatriate workers, and advises workers to use India’s referral wages as guidance when negotiating a contract.

You may see “SAR 4,000” quoted online. That figure is a Saudisation (Nitaqat) rule for Saudi employees: it decides how a Saudi worker is counted by the employer. It is not a minimum wage for foreigners.

India’s minimum referral wages (Saudi Arabia)

The Embassy of India, Riyadh, publishes a “Referral Wages for 2025” table (page last updated 12 November 2026). Amounts are per month in Saudi riyals. These are the minimum wages India recommends for recruitment contracts. They apply to Indian workers recruited from India, mostly ECR category.

Category	SAR per month
Housemaid, domestic helper, agriculture labour, gardener	1,500
Cleaning labour, helpers, waiter, steward	1,600
Ordinary, general or construction labour	1,700
Mason, carpenter, steel fixer, tailor	1,800
Plumber, tile fixer, fabricator, denter, decorator, fisherman, bar blender	1,900
A/C technician, mechanic, cook	2,000
Hotel supervisor	2,300
Draftsman	2,700
Electrician, auto electrician, driver, nurse, lab technician	3,000
Clerk/typist	3,500
Secretary, crane operator	4,000
Computer operator, heavy equipment operator, X-ray technician	5,000
Accountant	5,500
Computer programmer	7,000

The Embassy page is laid out as a two-column table, so check your own job title there before accepting an offer. Female domestic workers: the Embassy says minimum age 30+ and minimum wage SAR 1,500, with a bank guarantee of US$ 2,500.

What the referral wage does and does not mean

It is a floor for the recruitment contract, not an average or a “fair” salary.
It applies to Indian workers going through eMigrate, not to every Indian already in the Kingdom.
India’s embassy in the UAE lists two conditions for the same system: food and accommodation on top of the wage, and medical, accident and life insurance. Ask whether your Saudi contract says the same. We could not find the equivalent line on the Riyadh page, so confirm it with the Embassy.
If your employer pays less than the contract, that is a wage complaint, not a minimum wage issue. See what to do when salary is delayed.

Average salary in Saudi Arabia

We could not verify an official average salary for Indians in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government publishes labour statistics, but not an average by Indian job title, and recruiter surveys vary widely. Treat any “average salary” number from a blog as a rough guide. A safer approach: use the referral wage as your lowest limit, then compare real offers for your trade from people in your own company or city.

How to check you are paid what the contract says

Read your Qiwa contract. Basic wage, housing and transport allowance are shown there. See Qiwa login with Nafath.
Check salary through Mudad/WPS. Saudi employers must pay through the Wage Protection System. Steps are in salary not received: Mudad complaint.
Compare with your attested eMigrate contract if you were recruited from India.
Download your GOSI/Qiwa salary certificate to see the registered wage: GOSI and Qiwa salary certificate.

Common problems

Contract in India said one wage, Saudi contract says less. This is contract substitution. Keep copies of both and contact the Embassy’s labour/community welfare wing.
Salary registered lower than paid. This affects your GOSI end-of-service benefit. Check it on the certificate above.
Deductions for visa or Iqama. Under the Saudi Labour Law the employer bears work permit and residence fees. See Iqama fees.

FAQs

Is SAR 4,000 the minimum salary in Saudi Arabia?

No. It is a Nitaqat counting threshold for Saudi employees. Expats have no statutory minimum.

What is the minimum salary for an Indian driver in Saudi Arabia?

The Embassy’s 2025 referral wage for drivers is SAR 3,000 per month.

What is the minimum salary for a housemaid from India?

SAR 1,500 per month, per the Embassy table.

Does the referral wage include food and accommodation?

Not on the Riyadh page we read. India’s UAE embassy says food and accommodation are in addition to the referral wage. Ask your employer and check your contract.