Freelancing Program

The Freelancing Program is a government program launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), in line with Saudi Vision 2030, to facilitate access to human resources seeking primary or supplementary income opportunities, and to offer citizens across all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the chance to work for their account.

Objectives of the Freelancing Program

The Freelancing Program aims to enhance skills and expertise, increase productivity in suitable jobs that promote production and stability, diversify opportunities for those wishing to engage in freelance work, empower individuals interested in practicing non-restricted activities, raise awareness among human capital about the concept and variety of freelancing opportunities, improve credibility and security, and contribute to providing additional income and increasing individual earning.

Freelance Certificate

The Freelance Certificate is a trusted and officially accredited document issued by HRSD, aimed at empowering Saudi citizens, both men and women, specialized in various fields, and enabling those interested in freelance work to benefit from the activities approved by the ministry via its electronic Freelance Platform.

A freelancer is defined as someone registered in the Freelancing Program and who holds a valid Freelance Certificate issued through the portal (freelance.sa). It is an electronic platform provided by HRSD and operated by Future Work Company, aimed at regulating and promoting freelance work in Saudi Arabia.

Benefits of the Freelance Certificate

The Freelance Certificate offers several benefits, notably providing sources of income, contributing to stability and continued creativity, as well as enabling the opening of bank accounts, offering digital payment solutions, and allowing optional registration in social insurance.

The Freelance Certificate can be obtained by visiting the program’s dedicated electronic portal, verifying the availability of the desired activity, then clicking on the “Issue Your Certificate” button, creating an account, verifying it through the Absher government platform, uploading the required documents, and finally receiving the Freelance Certificate.

Freelance funding

The Social Development Bank works to empower freelancers with specialized skills by providing them with the necessary financing to create financial resources to increase their income and practice freelance work. This is achieved by allocating SAR120,000 for cash financing and SAR300,000 for vehicle financing. It aims to support freelancers in building and increasing their income.

Freelancing sub-programs

The Freelancing Program includes eight diverse sub-programs:

• Ride-hailing: This refers to the activity of transporting passengers by directing private taxis or private vehicles to transport passengers for a fare through smart device applications.
• Delivery Driver: A program offered by the Human Resources Development Fund in collaboration with HRSD, the Communications and Information Technology Commission, and the Future Work Company, based on specific regulations. It provides financial support to freelancers working in delivery services through smartphone applications. The duration of this program and its support is (twenty-four) months starting from the program launch date.
• Specialized services: Activities based on skills in specific fields, relying on a foundation of knowledge and expertise.
• Handicrafts: Industries that serve as a source of livelihood and income. Handicrafts are divided into two types: (Artistic productive crafts and traditional heritage crafts). It is considered a handicraft if it is primarily based on manual work, practiced as a main and continuous profession, and aims to convert raw materials into manufactured or semi-manufactured products using machinery or not, and local environmental resources are used primarily, depending on their availability.
• Rural Development: These are freelance activities in the agricultural sector, including livestock, fisheries, and other products and industries that rely on agriculture. It aims to encourage practitioners of these activities to preserve agricultural and livestock resources in Saudi Arabia and to increase individual participation in production and food security.
• Productive Families: These are families that cover part of their needs by relying on skills within the household, producing and selling products from home to increase their income and improve their standard of living.
• Food Carts: These are activities aimed at encouraging workers in mobile food, beverage, and ice cream trucks, provided they are licensed by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.
• Accounting Services: These services are overseen by the Saudi Organization for Chartered and Professional Accountants (SOCPA), which supervises the accounting and auditing profession to improve, develop, and advance its practice. SOCPA monitors performance quality, promotes awareness of accounting principles and ethics, and enhances the profession’s role in serving the national economy and society. It also works on developing and supporting individuals, institutions, and business-related groups to increase trust and transparency in financial statements and protect investors and those who use financial statements.