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The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the work environment and supporting youth and entrepreneurs through specialized initiatives and programs aimed at empowering national talent and creating economic and social opportunities aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. The exponential growth in the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)—from 429,000 in 2016 to more than 1.2 million—reflects the Ministry’s integrated support for strengthening the role of these enterprises, empowering entrepreneurs, expanding freelancing opportunities, and enabling various community groups, all of which directly contribute to increasing the private sector’s role in achieving sustainable development.
Coinciding with World Entrepreneurship Day on August 21 of each year, the Ministry has worked to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship by launching the “Hackathon for Innovation Towards a Better Future,” in its first and second editions in 2024 and 2025. These editions witnessed wide participation from young men and women, providing platforms to develop technological and creative solutions that address labor market challenges, while also supporting startups and connecting them with funding entities.
Within the framework of empowering youth in an institutional manner, the Ministry launched the Youth Development Strategy at the beginning of 2024, which included more than 20 specialized initiatives for training and empowering youth, in addition to establishing the General Department for Youth Development and introducing the Professional Certificate for Youth Work, in collaborating with the Association Support Fund, to enhance the efficiency of practitioners in the field of youth work and strengthen their role in development and entrepreneurship.
For empowering social security beneficiaries, the Ministry empowered rate of 33.7% for social security beneficiaries across three integrated tracks: employment through platforms and empowerment forums, support for entrepreneurial projects, and training and qualification. This effort qualified and enabled more than 23,394 beneficiaries in the first quarter of 2025, exceeding the target of 21,246 beneficiaries. Within the economic track, beneficiary number reached 3,922; they received support of various forms, including financial and non-financial support from active partners, enabling them to establish productive and entrepreneurial projects and improving their living and economic conditions.
To further empower citizens to engage in entrepreneurship and contribute to economic development, the Freelancing Initiative allows those wishing to practice freelance professions to issue a Freelance Certificate and benefit from the incentives and facilities provided by the government. The number of active beneficiaries of freelancing has surpassed 400,000. This reflects the ability of the initiative to accommodate individuals from different educational levels, with bachelor’s degree holders representing 62% of freelancers, high school graduates or below accounting for 31%, and holders of advanced degrees comprising 7%. This diversity highlights the wide range of opportunities available for individuals of varying qualifications.
Furthermore, the “Volunteer with Your Expertise” initiative supports entrepreneurs by providing specialized solutions to overcome challenges they face, leveraging the expertise and experiences of distinguished leaders and experts from the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
As part of efforts to sustain small enterprise growth and ensure their continuity in the labor market, the Council of Ministers approved the extension of the exemption for small enterprises, those with nine or fewer employees, including the owner, from paying government fees for an additional three years. This measure supports entrepreneurship, fosters the growth of small enterprises to achieve sustainable economic development, and strengthens the national transformation process.